This Is My Reality
by Nicole Lo
Summary: Tess completes the 4 and everyone accepts their destiny for a while, but all that changes when Tess starts having flashbacks of the past. Her disturbing memories and the newcomer lead to the questions, 'Is there a royal four' and 'Is Tess the REAL queen'
1. PreChapter

This Is My Reality

By: Nicole Lopez

Summary: Max, Isabel, and Michael have discovered their fourth part, Tess. As they discover their destiny, Tess has flashbacks of things that she wasn't supposed to know. To make matters even more bizarre, Sara comes into town stirring up things from the past surrounding Max. A struggle for his heart provides an answer to the true question—is Liz is _real _queen? And is there even a 'Royal Four'?

Disclaimer: I do not own Roswell. If I did, it would still be on the air and the final season would've never happened like it did.

"Hurry … time is not on our side." January said to Argandaugh as he slowly dropped the king's DNA into a secret chamber. It was soon followed by the princesses and second-in command's. Will this work? Time is almost up.

"Hand me the last one." Argandaugh demanded to Olivian who was standing nearby. Two more of their own were shot down by the enemy. Carefully, he poured the remaining DNA of the queen into a mixture with human DNA.

"Are you sure this will work?"

"If it does not then all hope will be lost. We must have faith and believe it will work." Argandaugh whispered unsurely. Everything is now up to fate.

Another round of shots were fired, and Argandaugh was shot down. Soon, January and Olivian were the only ones left. January looked down at her brother's motionless corpse. She was in no condition to secure the bodies in the pods, the ones that were chosen to start over and make the world the way it should be.

"I'll take care of it. They will be safe in my hands." Olivian offered, seizing her chance. Without another thought, January handed over the pods and sunk to the ground, realizing that she would be next to go.

"Don't worry January." Olivian whispered with an evil smile. At the time it did not seem evil, but when the whole picture is seen, it is obvious that that was the beginning of a trail of death that would follow the chosen ones. "All will be the way they should be." She added, thinking that Nebollah was a weak queen. She was completely consumed by her love and put it above the kingdom. This way, the right people would be in power and their race wouldn't be exterminated.

(A/N: I'm continuing and re-writing parts of this story, so check it out and I'll be sure to update more frequently. Tons of reviews and support also help speed up the process. –NL)


	2. Default Chapter

Chapter One: But Things Have Changed, They're Not the Same

Max

"So this is where we came from." I mumbled looking around at three open pods.

"I thought there were four of us." Isobeldeclared.

"There are." Tess whispered, pointing to the one that must've been hers.

"So … you are one of us then." I remarked, unsurely. It had always been Isobel, Michael, and myself. But Tess was been one of us all along. We just were separated.

It was so bizarre to think about any of this. Everyone else was out there, living their normal lives. Worrying about school dances and football games. We were just trying to find out who, or _what _we were becoming.

* * *

Tess

"So what now?" Michael asked as he stopped looking around and stood still.

"We do what we were sent here to do." I interjected giving Michael a stern look. He gave me a 'look' right back. He wasn't accepting what I was telling them as the truth. I knew he didn't. Max was the only one who somewhat seemed to trust me.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to get home?" Isobel inquired into the distance as I felt her memories come alive and flow through me.

"Of course." Max assured her as I looked at him for the first time, seeing him. This was the man that I belonged to in a past life. I lost him then and I wasn't going to lose him now.

"Shouldn't we be going?" I questioned him sensing that I was the only one who didn't want to stay any longer. There was no need to. The past was gone. We were here to create a better future.

"Why? We might find something here." Michael suggested as Isobel nodded in agreement. I suppressed a sigh. I was still on the outside.

"We'll come back tomorrow. Someone might find us out if we stay any longer," I pressed, looking to Max for assurance. He was the only one everyone listened to. If I could just get him to believe what I believed--

"Who will find us here?" Michael began. "No one knows where are. I don't even know where we are."

"Yeah, they do." I told him slowly as I searched his mind. Nothing of importance … except his growing discontempt for me. "We _must_ go now. Right Max?" I asked him, grabbing his hands. He nodded in agreement.

"Tess is right. It will be here tomorrow and it isn't safe here, not after the explosion. I'm not sure it was a good idea to come here … so soon after everything." Max said confidently, even though I can tell that he was not. His hand was slightly shaking.

"Okay." Isobel mumbled without another comment.

"Fine Maxwell. Have it your way." Michael muttered as we walked away from our pods, outside, as a gush of fresh air filled my lungs.

"Don't worry." I whispered to him as we continued walking hand in hand. Pelie had taught me well.

We rode in Max's black jeep in silence, me concentrating on the intense feelings I was starting to develop for Max, and he the open road. What nomads we were, without a home, a place to go … but I would be Max's home and he would be mine. Together we would find a way back.

I relaxed, my expression softened by this idea. Soon, I found myself outside of myself in almost a dream world…

* * *

Flash Back

Olivian

"Tess I know you can do this. If you want to become queen, you must. Now show me what you can do!" I demanded my pupil as she began to concentrate. She was finally going to do it. It was a little shaky at first, but she had finally managed to make herself disappear, just like I had taught her.

"Can you see me?" She inquired.

"No. Now shush. We must see if Nasado can feel your presence." I told her as he walked into the room.

"I can. She's right over there by the curtains." He mumbled as I nodded.

"I am not!" Tess protested as she reappeared near the doorway of the laboratory.

"You have taught her well, but next time, I must not be able to sense her presence at all."

"Do you think she knows?" I asked Nasado as soon as Tess was off for the dance lessons I'd arranged for her. Anything to keep her occupied. If she knew that I was her mother … I had to place things perfectly. One crack in the pot would make the whole thing go tumbling down.

"Tess ... might know. After all, she is a smart girl."

"She can't hate me for it. I did it for her. I would never harm my own child." I defended myself, trying to make him understand. Although he tolerated me, Nasado did not agree with what I did, but it was long ago and it cannot be undone." I sighed.

"You did it for yourself." Nasado spat out, taking another sip of his tea.

"Don't you dare say anything to her. She _deserves_ to be queen. Nebollah was a weak queen! She single-handedly caused our downfall. We lost everything …. I will not watch it happen again!" I exclaimed, getting up from the table, and leaving the kitchen. I was met face to face with Tess.

"Who's Nebollah?" She inquired.

"An old friend." I recovered quickly.

"But you sounded so angry just now."

"You'll be late for your lesson if you don't go." I dodged the question again. "Don't worry about me dear. Just drink some of this tea to ease your mind, but be quick about it."

Flashback Ends


	3. Chapter Two: How Does it Feel?

**Chapter Two: How Does It Feel?**

* * *

Isobel

"So just like that, at her command we go." I whispered to Michael as we walked into step through the gateway of the park, leaving Max and Tess behind.

"I know. When it comes to her, Maxwell just doesn't think. It's like he's afraid to go against her or make her angry. She should be groveling at his feet, not the other way around." Michael lashed angrily.

"Maybe his blow-up with Liz has something to do with this."

"They've made up haven't they?" Michael wondered, thinking about someone besides himself for once.

"Yeah, but you should know by now that wounds are still open. And Tess being here doesn't make it any easier." I explained. "I have a feeling that she's just going to make things worse."

"Nothing's worse than a bossy, power-trip bimbo that knows too much about us. What if she's the thing we're supposed to be fighting against? For all we know Tess could be our Armageddon."

"Exactly." I interrupted as Max and Tess caught up with us. I try to make it seem as if we weren't just talking about her, but I had a feeling that she knew anyway. Her eyes pierced through my body as we walked to the wishing fountain. I just wanted to give every penny I owned and wish all of the madness away.

* * *

Liz

"Do you hate her?" Maria inquired as she quickly gave a customer his food.

"No, It's not that I hate her Maria, because I don't. It's just that ….I don't trust her… at all. Who the hell does she think she is?" I exploded suddenly. "She pops out of God knows where and expects us to take her in. She claims to be one of them, but I have my doubts." I said with a sigh as I sat down. The crowd was starting to clear out a little.

"And you feel threatened. You think you're going to lose Max." Maria stated calmly as though she had been there before.

"No, not at all. Max … I don't know, but she won't able to break us up. We mean too much to each other … I just have a feeling that Tess is evil. I can't help feeling like I should do something to stop her."

"Stop her? She's a freaking alien for Pete's sake." Maria began as the bell dinged, signaling that a new customer had arrived.

Maria stopped and looked as I studied my hands. What if Maria was right? What if I was just being jealous and catty like the girls I tried to stay away from? Tess just needed a friend.

"Loverboy is here." Maria whispered as I turned around to see Max. I gave him a smile and walked towards him, as he sat down.

"Hey Max, what are you doing here?" I asked, wondering if he came to see me.

"I came to get something to eat. You do sell food here, right?" Max questioned me sarcastically. That was so unlike him. Michael's always the sarcastic one.

"Yeah." I laughed it off. "Where is everyone else?" I inquired, hoping that he had came alone, without Tess. It was just wishful thinking because they always came here together lately. And if Michael and Isobel were going to be here, then so was Tess.

"They're all coming." Max answered simply.

"Max, are you okay?" I sat down across from him, trying to make eye contact. "Because whatever you need--"

"Yeah, I'm good. You know what actually …I don't know. Things have changed. They're a little weird right now. I just need time to think and sort it out." Max whispered.

"Max, things have always been weird. When have things ever been normal around here?" I questioned him, but he ignored my comment.

"Now that Tess is here, it means that …" Max started, but his voice trailed off at the exact moment Michael, Isabel, and Tess arrived.

"It means that…?" I started for him, but his attention was already focused on Tess as if I ceased to exist.

"Hey Max. Liz." Tess greeted both of us. "Have you told her?"

"Told me what?" I demanded to know, sliding out of the booth seat.

"Nothing." Max replied. "There's nothing to tell." He lied horribly thus, convincing me that something serious had happened.

"But-" Tess began.

"Max, do you have something you want to say to me?" I asked, giving him a chance to fess up. I didn't like this. The distance, the averted eyes, Tess just always being in my airspace … it wasn't like it used to be at all and I just didn't get it.

"No." He told me, avoiding my gaze. I shrugged it off, holding back a sigh. I'd read somewhere that guys got PMS too, so maybe he was just having one of those moments. Maybe Tess was helping him out with someone that no one else was, but I was having this nagging feeling that she was taking over my place in his life.

* * *

Maria

"So you finally decided to show up. You know you're like an hour and a half late." I explained to Michael who was not even trying to pretend like he was listening.

"I had other stuff to do." Michael answered nonchalantly.

"Well, next time your "other stuff" better wait, or you'll have to explain it to the manager."

"You covered for me?" Michael asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah." I retorted as he gave me a cute look. "That doesn't mean that it's going to happen again." I told him, trying to set the record straight.

"Of course not." He turned his back on me suddenly, going from making me feel like I was everything to nothing. That was Spaceboy for me. Build me up to kick me down.

"I mean it Michael. No more bull shit." I demanded, reveling in the fact that I was talking to my … whatever we were right now. We were somewhere in the middle of committed and friends … but we definitely weren't either right now.

(A/N: Trust me, it gets really good by chapter four when love triangles are revealed, the problem with the Skins is talked about, and Liz begins to have flashbacks … but you'll have to tune in to find out what happens next!! –NL)


	4. Chapter Three: Put Your Indecisive Mind ...

**Chapter Three: Put Your Indecisive Mind at Ease**

* * *

Maria

"So what's really going on here?" I asked Michael after work was over. He responded in my signature way by shrugging it off.

"Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it? Michael, I am just as much apart of this as you are. I need to know what's going on."

"You chose to stick your nose in on this and right now, I've taken you out of it." Michael answered moodily.

"So, what . you--you're making decisions for me? In case you failed to notice, I'm a big girl." I sucked in my cheeks for a second. "I don't know what we need to talk about more … this alien thing or our situation."

"And in case you failed to notice, my shift has been over for at least five minutes." He told me as he walked past me and left. Always running, that Michael.

* * *

Max

"Isn't it beautiful?" Liz mumbled, referring to the sunset.

"Yeah." I whispered quietly. There was so much I wanted to say, that I should say. I was overwhelmed. None of it would make sense to her. I couldn't fully grasp it yet.

"Max . are you okay?" Liz asked as she sat beside me, placing her hand on my knee. "You know you can talk to me about anything."

"Not this."

"Did something bad happen . what did Tess do?" She inquired, defensively.

"Nothing. It isn't her fault. It's just the way things are suppose to be ... it was already decided."

"Tell me what it is then." Liz begged, giving me a thoughtful look.

"No . now isn't the right time." I muttered, ignoring how her hand touching my body was making me about to lose control. I wanted to touch her back so badly and tell her how much I loved her … but that would only make it harder.

"Okay." She answered sadly. "I'll give you your space and promise me that when you're ready to talk, I'll be the first you come to."

* * *

Liz

"Did you find out what's going on?"

"Nope. Not a damn thing …except that it hasn't got anything to do with me, or even you for that matter." Maria answered bitters.

"You've asked Michael, I've asked Max . who's left to ask?"

"Isobel."

"She'll never tell, but . Tess will." Maria suggested.

"What makes you think that she'll go behind Max's back just to tell us?"

"Uh. Hello. We are talking about Tess here." Maria responded.

"We don't even know her." I mumbled trying to think of another alternative.

"You're right. We don't know her that well, but I _do _know that she will tell because she's new here and new people always do whatever it takes to get new friends and feel included. Plus, any non-genius can see she's up to something. Face it Liz, the girl is sneaky. We both know that."

"So, you're saying we should befriend her? How's that gonna help?" I asked. "I can barely stand to look at her, knowing the hold she's got over Max. He used to tell me everything."

* * *

Tess

"What a surprise to see you two here," I said sarcastically while opening the door and letting Liz and Maria in. They walked into my house, which was actually Kyle's, but we were kind of sharing the place.

"You're not fooling us." Maria told me sternly.

"Oh really." I answered. Was this as threatening as she could be? "Why don't you two sit down?" Liz smiled politely and nodded, while Maria gave me a glare and sat down shortly after. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Actually-" Liz started, but was interrupted by Maria.

"Cut the crap Tess. We're not here for that."

"Okay." I answered sitting down across from them and tilting my head to the side. "What do you want then?"

"We want to know ." Liz's voice trailed off. "What's going on with Max?" She whispered as if it was this big secret. So, this is what he loved so much … such an innocent and sweet girl … so _not _me.

"And Michael." Maria added. That one I really didn't like.

"What do you mean what's going on?" I held back a smile. They really thought that I was going to tell them. Ha.

"Why has Max been acting so strange? He doesn't even want to be around me anymore. What did you say to him?" Liz accused me. I sighed and the doorbell rang.

"Excuse me." I whispered; glad to get away from them. Before I even opened the door, I could sense Max's presence.

"Hey." I smiled and embraced him tightly. I took in his scents. It was soo good to be around him. I brush the tips of his hair out of his face. He smiled a smile--a forced smile—but I took it anyway and invited him in.

"Liz ." Max's voice trailed off as he walked into the living room. She stood up. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. Since when do you come over to Tess's house?" She wondered, accusingly. I smirked. This was getting good.

Max

"I needed someone to talk to and you weren't home." I lied. It was hard being in the same room with both of them. I could feel their eyes following me as I started to pace a little.

"Do you want to talk about it then?" Liz inquired, looking concerned. She walked over to me and touched my arm.

"No … it wasn't a big deal anyway … I'll see you around." I quickly turned away and walked out the door I had just walked into a few seconds before.

I was desperately hoping that Liz couldn't see what was right in front of her face. I didn't want to be alone with her anymore. I didn't know what I might do … and then Tess … This was just a huge mess.

* * *

Maria

"Well, that was odd." I commented as Liz started to look really sad all of a sudden.

"Let's just go." She attempted to change the subject and forget about the weirdness that was still in the air.

"So soon?" Tess asked us with fake compassion.

"Yes. We have other places to be." I let Liz go ahead of me and lingered for a little bit. "Whatever you think you've gotten away with, you haven't. I am _so_ onto you."

"Good luck with that Maria." Tess answered, giving me an innocent smile as if she had no idea what I was talking about. "You can let yourself out." She continued, noting the fact that I was lingering. God, what I wouldn't do to know the truth … and get this girl out of our lives.

(A/N: I'm grammar-checking and rewriting this which I started back in '02 … I think. I saw a couple of Roswell episodes this month and fell in love with the show all over again. If I can stay inspired and make the time, I'll keep giving you more! –NL)


	5. Until You're Resting Here With Me

**Chapter Four: Until You're Resting Here With Me**

* * *

Tess's Flash Back

"Hurry up." A woman demanded, mixed different chemicals together.

"Here is human DNA for the beloved queen." Another voice entered.

"Thank you." The woman smiled, sending the person away and slipping the tressel tube into her pocket. "Come dear, I need you." She demanded as a masked, petite woman walked in.

Her blonde waves covered half of her back. "Yes mother."

"The queen's tressel has been damaged. I'm afraid time is running out."

"What can I do? We're doomed. It will not work unless all four of them--" He soft voice became strained as the woman held up to her face a heavily-engraved blade with the daughter's blood dripped from the metal.

"Forgive me." The woman whispered, throwing the queen's tressel to the ground and mixing together chemicals, blood, and a piece of flesh she later cut from the dying blonde young woman.

"Now, no one will say you are never good enough because your father was a human. You are … you have always been." The woman smiled as Tess started to feel herself feel weaker and weaker as if she were dying, and she was somehow connected to that woman who lay on the floor in her dreams.

"Olivian … what have you done?" Another being flashing between invisible and visible struggled to say.

"January … rest in peace. Everything is as it always should have been."

"You have not succeeded… in killing me …. The queen's tressel…." January wheezed, mustering up what strength she had left to right the wrongs that had been done…

End of Flash Back

Tess gasped, finding herself struggling for breath. It was okay. It was just … a dream. Another one. But it felt so real. Tess thought she was actually die this time.

* * *

"She's hiding something." Maria mumbled on the way home. Her plan to get Tess to spill the whole truth had failed.

"Now it's onto plan B." Liz commented for the first time since they got back into the car.

"Which is nonexistent." Maria added as Liz nodded in agreement. Silence filled the car until Maria picked up the phone. Referring to her situation with Michael, she said, "I know that this is against my better judgment, but I have to call him."

"How can you think about your love life when Tess is up to something? Who knows what's going to happen next?"

"So it's okay for you to go all the way to Tess's house and harass her, while thinking about Max the entire time, but I can't even MENTION Michael?" Maria rolled her eyes.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Max." Liz tried to explain.

Maria nodded. "You're right- it has everything to do with him."

* * *

Michael sat next to Isobel in complete silence. Other than an old re- run of American Idol, which Isobel insisted they watch, everything was still and unmoving. Her latest attempt with boyfriend number 98 had crashed and burned.

Anyone could see that she was taking this much harder than all the others. Isobel should've known by now that when you left your heart open, it got wounded.

Michael and Isobel were close, but dealing and talking about emotions wasn't the way he pictured spending his last Friday night of summer.

If it hadn't been for Max's strict orders to wait there, he would've split a long time ago. This was _his _place, but it killed him to see her like that. He looked at Isobel again, who had dark black and gray circles under her eyes. It seemed like the circles were surrounding her face and attacking the light that kept her alive.

"Why does Max have us waiting here?" She wondered even though the both knew that Tess was the cause for his absence. "Have you noticed that he's always walking out on us for her? I mean I barely have a moment alone to talk with my own brother anymore." Isobel looked towards the only window in her cheerful room. It didn't fit her mood at all and the happiness in the room was beginning to kill her. Thunder sounded. At least it was raining.

"Give things a chance to calm down." Michael continued after a moment of pausing. It seemed as though he too had gotten caught up in the threatening sounds of thunder. Suddenly, he resumed talking. "All of us have just found Tess - this whole thing is still new to us." Michael took on the responsible, sensible one, which was not of his character.

"He went running to her- Jake ran away from me and ." Isobel stopped and looked Michael straight in the eyes while saying, "You're hiding from Maria."

"I'm not hiding from her. I don't hide from anyone. I'm protecting her."

"You're not even giving her a chance Michael." He caught a glimpse of Isobel's aqua- blue eyes, which have started to come to life. The fire she possessed was back, temporarily. She was passionate about something, but unfortunately, it was about his messy 'love-life.'

"If I already know what's destined to happen why should I string Maria along? There's no use fighting it." Michael and Isobel realized how close they were with the last few words said.

"Do you really believe that we have no control over our own lives? Come on Michael. Everyone else gets to live and do whatever they want. Why can't we?" Isobel wondered.

"Everyone else is human … 100. We don't know what the hell we are, or what will happen if we don't do what we came here to." He answered lamely. Anyone could see that he was looking for an easy out … a way to lock up his uncontrollable feelings for Maria. "Whatever this is … that I've been pretending to be, I'm tired of it."

"Me too." She gave in. "We both know. " Isobel couldn't finish her sentence. The fire in her eyes dimmed as tears streamed from them. Michael caught her chin before she could hide her face in shame.

Everything paused as Isobel made the first move, cherishing every moment of the first kiss they shared. They both pulled away simultaneously as another tear rolled down Isabel's cheek. "How-" Micahel's thoughts were interrupted by the telephone, which had begun to ring.

"You should get that." Isobel told him, her reddish- auburn hair glistening in the dimmed light. Michael reached towards the phone, past Isabel, and turned off the ringer.

"I have to know." His lips brushed hers again as instant gratification followed. "Don't you want to know?"

"Desperately." Isobel whispered, feeling a strange … normalness to this, like it was meant to be. It was meant to be.

* * *

Tess

"Why does Max have us waiting here?" I imitated Michael and Isabel. "I bet that's what's they're saying . actually I know it." I gave a small laugh.

"What did you say to them?" Max asked me. I gave him an innocent little smile in response.

"Michael and Isobel or Liz and Maria? Liz will find out the truth eventually. You might as well tell her, if she doesn't already know." Max turned slowly, giving me a savage look. I challenged him with a look of her own. "Don't fight it. All will reveal itself."

"Tess if you-"

"Relax. The only way she knows anything is if your little buddies tell. You better talk to them, not me. My lips are sealed." I sighed and sat down on the porch steps. We were at Kyle's house, but I was was hoping that Max would decide that they needed to find somewhere were they could exist. Together.

"They don't know."

"Pardon me?"

"Isobel and Michael don't about you and me." Max cringed at that thought, but he knew that this was the way his mother had envisioned it. This was the way that it was supposed to be, in another land. There was only one person standing between him and this reality. Liz.

"Don't think about her." I took Max's hand in mine as a heavy rain started simultaneously.

"What?" He asked, but I couldn't tell if he was talking about me or the rain. "We're getting soaked." I half-yelled, half-laughed, taking his hands in mine and pulling Max closer to me.

"I can feel it. I know you love her Max." I let go of his hand as another memory of Liz crossed his mind. "Can you just try to pretend like you don't?" I held back tears. I had a chilling feeling that Max would never be able to love me the way he loved Liz Parker.

"How can you ask me to hide my feelings?"

"Because you're holding them back now. Part of you loves her, but the other part wants to remember your past with me. Don't forget why we're here." I pressed, rain drenching the outside of my body.

"I'm completely soaked! We're soaked!" I yelled once again, seeking shelter from the porch itself.

Maria had called Michael twice, not including the call that she was making the very moment. She pulled into Liz's yard where her friend waved goodbye to her. Poor thing, Maria thought but first things first. Right now, Michael. Later tonight, Liz.

Michael not answering the phone left a million and one questions running through her mind. One stuck out most in her mind. What if Michael was in danger? What if he was tied up somewhere about to die, about to loose everything? And this weather was just awful … it would make it really easy if someone who wanted to toss out his body.

"Stop it Maria." She said to herself, finding herself stopped in the middle of the road, just blocks from her house.

Michael always put on this bad-boy, bad ass act, but Maria knew he was a softy. "And this softy needs me." She said to herself again, U-turning towards Michael's apartment. She was going to start from scratch and search until she found him. And save him.

(A/N: This is when I'm starting to re-do some things and let you guys know what's happening with the Tess-Liz thing ... Also,in the future I'll be updating on Tuesdays so check back next week!! Thanks for reviewing!! BTW, this isn't an Isobel/Michael, Tess/Max, Liz/Max, or Michael/Maria. It'll be an interesting ride so don't just run away and assume it's crap or conventional. It's not. Kisses! --NL)


	6. It's Catching Up to Me

**Chapter Five: It's Catching Up To Me  
**

* * *

-Isobel-

I felt myself move deeper and deeper into Michael's kiss, into his scent. It was enchanting. I lost all thoughts of him and Maria as we moved in closer and closer to his bed.

"Isobel," Michael muttered. I shushed him, removing his shirt and mine. Our bodies intertwined with each other under the covers as something happened that I never thought possible. Michael and I were making love. There was a soft tap at his door, but we both ignored it as our bodies moved in an insatiable rhythm together.

* * *

-Maria-

There was only one place left to look for Michael. It was the obvious choice, but something had to get in there, just to make sure. So, I decided to kick down the door. It wasn't as easy as I thought, but it did get done. "Mikey G, get your cute butt out here!" I yelled.

There was still no answer, but a moan. I followed the sounds, completely unprepared for what I was about to witness. Walking into Isobel's bedroom, I witnessed two figures moving under his covers. That's where the moan was coming from.

I wanted to walk away, but my curiosity got the best of me. I had to see if it was Michael … it better not have been, but I wanted to know.

"Oh my God!" I screamed. I picked up a shoe, ready to hurl it at someone. I had terrible aim, so I missed yet I wasn't going to let that stop me. I started picking up random objects and throwing them at the two as if hurting them would somehow stop and conceal my own pain.

"Maria. What the hell?" Michael looked up at me. Isabel, scurried back, hiding beneath the seaman-soaked covers.

"How could you do this to me?" I yelled walked over to him. "And Isobel… you whore. You're both whores."

"I'm so sorry Maria." Isobel sighed, sincerely.

"Maria," Michael tried to get me to calm down as I reached towards Isobel, trying to choke her. I knew that in an instant, she could have Tess mind warp me and I could forget about this whole thing, but maybe somehow I could kill the human part of her … and then go after Michael. "Stop it." Michael pushed me off Isobel roughly as I stumbled back.

"I came here because I thought you were in trouble. I thought someone was trying to kill you." Michael looked down in shame as Isabel's look became dull and distraught.

"I didn't mean for you to see this. Just try to understand." Michael pleaded.

"No. I _can not _understand and I _will not_. Just go to hell. Just burn down there eternally okay?"

* * *

-Michael-

I pulled on my boxers as quickly as I could and hopped out of bed, running after Maria. "Wait. Maria!" I grabbed onto her arm. "It was a mistake," I lied. I knew it wasn't. It was destined to happen, but it was one of those bittersweet things. I really wasn't sure what had just happened or what to think of it.

"Don't you touch me. I trusted you Michael. You've lied before and- and been the worst boyfriend EVER, but this," Maria shook her head. "This is far worse than anything I thought you'd ever do. I hate you! I hate you, I hate you!" She pounded on my chest.

"No you don't. Look, just let me ." I found myself attempting to explain, but there was nothing to explain.

"I thought you were _dead _Michael, okay? That's why I came over here. But, I was just so stupid. How long has this been going on anyway huh?" Maria didn't even wait for me to answer before tears started to run in the opposite direction.

"Stay away from me or I swear to God … I'll get rid of you myself." Maria's chin quivered. Shortly after, she ran out my apartment, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

-Maria-

"It's over. I'm done with it," I told myself as I dialed Alex's number. He sensed my heightened emotions and rushed over as soon as he could.

"Hey Maria." He said as I opened the door, eyes brimming with tears.

"What happened?" Alex ran to my rescue, embracing me immediately.

"Michael happened." I sniffed. "I always knew that he was the worst boyfriend, ever, but I didn't know he'd do that to me. God, I was so stupid." I flung myself onto the bed as wet tears stained my satin sheets.

"What did he do to you Maria?" Alex took to the defensive.

"Nothing." I retorted without a hint of sarcasm.

"I'll kill him. I'll kick his ass if he did what I thought he did."

"Alex, prepare to put on your boxing gloves because he did all that and more." I finally got the tears to stop coming. I wasn't crying on the outside, but inside it was killing me.

"Who was it?" I laughed in order to suppress the pain. "Hmm . Michael and Isabel, who would've ever thought?" Alex's expression turned into a complete look of surprise and I started bawling again.

"Isobel?" Alex sat frozen, his heart just as broken as mine.

"Yes Isobel. Max's sister, you know has strawberry blonde hair . she's gorgeous. I hate Michael so much right now." Alex seemed to tune me out, still not believing that "his" Isobel would do this.

But, it was inevitable. Alex and I were living in a fantasy world if we thought that we were ever on the inside … that these _aliens _would accept us.

"Isobel?" Alex whispered. I guess he was never going to realize that Isobel didn't love him. Michael "loved" me, but that didn't seem to matter.

"You know what the worst part was?" I continued, just needing to say this to someone. "I knew it was coming. I mean when I walked into his apartment and he wasn't there, I went to Max's. Why the hell would he be there right?

But there he was . kissing Isobel butt naked, sweaty … , in his bed. Why did he do this to me? HOW COUULD HE!" I yelled picking up the nearest object and hurling it at the wall. The breaking of the glass satisfied me for only a moment, but it started up all over again as Alex and I came to terms with our losses. This was the end. And now, I was wanting a sick sort of revenge.

* * *

-Tess-

"Do you ever think we'll be that happy?" I asked Max as we watched an elderly couple pass hand in hand. You could tell that they had been together for a long time. They started to look alike.

"I hope so," Max said half-heartedly. I knew his mind was on Liz and there was nothing I could do to change that. I could only wait for him to decide that he was going to love me and that's it.

"Do you think they made the right choice . choosing us?" It was still hard for me to come to terms with this everyday, that fact that I wasn't human and that my sole mission in life was to ensure the safety of Earth.

"They didn't make mistakes Tess. Why are you having so many doubts all-of-the-sudden? Most of the time you're so sure of yourself. You inspire me even when I don't know what to do," Max admitted. Completely out of character, I looked down at my shoes, studying them. Max did that to me.

He made me feel different, in a good way. He wasn't like Kyle, would I could manipulate by a sexual comment, who only saw me for my body because that's all I let him see. Max was starting to genuinely care for me.

"I trust you Max. I believe in you and I know that no matter what happens, you trust in me. Ha. Michael and Isobel hate me. They HATE me Max. But I just can't let that get to me. I have to be strong . for us," I linked his hand in mine and watched the night sky grow darker and darker.

"Tess ." Max's voice trailed off as I looked him in the eye for the first time. When we touched, I saw things, flashes of the past and I knew that everything would be okay. Max trusted me and he believed in me. That's all I wanted.

* * *

-Michael-

The sun shone on my face, waking me up. I looked to my left only to be face to face with Isabel. "Shit. What happened?" I asked myself. I already had a pretty good idea though. A quick glance under the covers justified everything I thought. The first person I thought of was Maria.

Without thinking, I picked up the phone and instantly dialed her number. I knew it by heart, but I would never let anyone know that.

"Hello?"

"Maria. We need to talk." I managed to say before she hung up seconds later.

"That went well," Isobel stated in her half-sleep voice.

"You're up."

"Really? I didn't notice." She seemed oddly happy and a giddiness filled her throat.

"Did this really happen?" I wondered.

"This isn't a dream Michael. It's reality." Isobel explained. "As hard as it is to accept . oh God, it happened." She smiled lightly.

"It was a mistake." I told her matter-of-factly.

"Yeah . it was." Her voice seemed a little detached. "Michael? Tell me that it's okay. Tell me that- that all this happened for a reason. I began to turn away, thinking of how I had hurt Maria. "Michael don't, you dare turn away from me. You're the one I need right now, okay?" Isobel pulled me in for a huge hug, tears streaming from her face.

"Even if you can't be there like this …. Max will never understand this. If he found out it would tear us apart. He would never trust you again."

"Just promise to be normal and we can just go back to being friends. No one else has to know." Isobel continued not pressuring me into anything, and proving that she was not like all the other girls, which was why we mixed so well.

* * *

Tess

That night, I began having those dreams … kind of like that one I had when Max, Isobel, Michael, and I went to visit our pods for the first time, together.

Flash Back

"What happened?" I woke up, looking around.

"You were sleeping." Nasado told me matter-of-factly, void of any emotional attachment to me what-so-ever.

"For how long?" I wondered. I felt like I'd missed the rest of the day or something.

"Too long. I told you that those dance lessons would wipe you out."

"Dance? I went to class?" I asked, not able to recall anything at all.

"Yep. You don't remember, do you? It's the stress." Nasado began pacing. "We're losing valuable time, you know."

"But Olivian wants me to do it. I can't disappoint her." I explained.

"She's not your mother. Why do you care? You have no parents. I am all you have. You must listen to me and only me until you are ready to live your own life. Don't you understand!" Nasado rose his voice as I shrunk back in fear.

"I-I'm sorry." Tears streamed my face as Nasado didn't even come near to comfort me.

"Fear, tears, emotions … they make you weak. You are not one of these normal, pre-adolescent humans. Do not forget it. Tomorrow we begin intensive training."

"Training for what?" I wondered.

"Greatness."

"And Nebollah?"

"Where did you get that name?" Olivian hissed, appearing from the shadows.

"You … said it. I remember." I smiled, happy to have recalled something in my life besides my powers.

"Oh, delusional child. You look absolutely famished. You haven't eaten since … afternoon. I'll make you some tea and then whip up something special."

End of Flash Back

Tess woke up in a cold sweat. What the hell?

(A/N: Hold on. Read on. Review. It only gets better! –NL)


	7. It's Alright to Make Mistakes You're Onl...

**Chapter Six: It's Alright to Make Mistakes You're Only Human**

* * *

-Tess-  
I watched Max falling asleep. He slept soundly, as soundly as a baby while I stroked his brown tousled hair. It was already 2AM, but I knew that I couldn't sleep.

I'd been having nightmares about my past, about us when we were pods, and even before then. It made no sense. It was almost like a weird sense of deja vu, but I don't even remember that far back.

"Liz." Max mumbled in his sleep as I grew irritable. It had been a couple of months since they found out the truth, that I was the missing link. Yet, he still loves her. I sighed, giving up and mentally transporting him into bed. I kissed his cheek and he barely stirred. Then, I slightly closed the door trying to be as quiet as possible. "Don't leave." Max whispered.

"Did I wake you?"

"No . yes. Can you just stay?" I nodded, sitting on the edge of his bed. I had no idea what I was going to do about tomorrow. How was I going to explain this to Mr. Valenti?

"If it makes you happy," I watched adoringly as he attempted to go back to sleep.

* * *

-Max-

Tess stayed the whole night with us, though nothing happened. We were both still trying to adjust to our new situation. Me and Tess. Tess and I. "Hey Max," Tess walked into my room. It was almost as if she was reading my mind.

"Hey. You stayed."

"Isn't that what you wanted?" She seemed a little confused.

"You don't have to try and please me." I told her.

"You're first-in-command, my . husband. Whatever you say I'll do it, no questions asked." Tess looked away, seemingly shy for an instant. "What's your mom gonna say when she sees me here so early?"

"I'll explain it to her." I replied. Tess yawned as dark circles appeared under her eyes. "You didn't sleep at all last night did you?"

"No. I've been afraid to." She admitted.

"Why? Has someone else come into town . a memory?" She nodded.

"Yeah, a really bad premonition or memory. Something. But let's not talk about it, okay?" Tess walked into the bathroom, shutting me out. There were still a few questions that I wanted to ask her, things I wanted to know about her dreams. And later that day, I got to ask them.

* * *

-Dolly-  
"Is this where you sensed the energy?" Gorgon nodded, sighing and gasping even more than before. "Save your energy. We'll find them."

"What . about . the girl?"

"What girl?" I wondered.

"Liorinda."

"We'll get her too . and destroy her before they discover anything has happened," I smirked. And, January thought that she could undo what Olivian did. Tess was meant to be queen and she was going to. Liz and the others would never find out the truth.

* * *

-Liz-

"What's up?" I asked as Max walked into the Crashdown with Isabel, Michael, and the others close at hand.

"We found one of the Skins skin," Isobel explained as my jaw dropped.

"But didn't we destroy them?"

"Yeah, a month back, but there's more of them." Tess added.

"How do you know? I mean, are you sure?" Maria wondered, avoiding eye contact with Michael. She hadn't told me that anything was wrong, but I could sense the tension between the two of them.

"Of course we're sure. What'd you think, we made it up?" Michael jumped in.

"I don't know Michael, but lately it seems that everything you've said had been a lie." Maria retorted, looking him square in the eyes.

"What did I say to you that was a lie? Nothing. You knew how it was and you still kept coming. End of story. Okay? Got it? Good."

"You're so vain. The world does not revolve around what Michael says. Just because you say something, it doesn't make it true."

"Guys, come on." Isobel tried to get them to call it quits. "This is serious."

"Sure. You would stand up for him. You know, I don't even know why I'm here. Liz," She brought me into the situation. "Why am I here anyway? None of this even involves me anymore. Alex had the right idea by not coming." Maria grabbed her purse off the table and walked out the back door.

"Maria!" I called after her. "Umm ." I pointed towards the door and Max nodded. Tess had a slight smile on her face while Isobel and Michael looked like they had just done the worst crime in the world. "Maria!" I yelled again, reaching her before she reached her car. Tears were streaming down her face. "What's wrong?"

"Can't I just cry? You know, crying don't always imply that something's wrong."

"What are you hiding?"

"I dated Mikey G. That's all I can say, but you put two and two together, alright?" Maria drove off. It wasn't until late that night when the whole story reveled itself.

* * *

-Max-

"I can't believe that something like this happened," Liz confessed, tucking her hair behind her ears. She paused. "I mean we went through all of that. We destroyed the Harvest, yet there's still some of them left."

"Are you scared?"

"A little. I was kind of relieved when they were gone and poof, they're back." Liz picked at her nails for a few moments. "It's reminiscent of Maria and Michael, you know? Just when you think it's going to work out, one of them screws it up."

"You mean Michael."

Liz smiled, against her will. "I just feel so helpless sitting back and watching their relationship deteriorate, but the same thing's happening with us."

"No, it's not." I defended my feelings for her. "It could never come to that. I could never hate you." I admitted.

"Even after Kyle," It stung the way she said his name and the memories of that day come flooding back to me.

"It makes me care for you more. I mean I know that you did it for a reason."

"How do you know we didn't have something going on for a while?" Liz challenged me.

"I know you. You're the most selfless person I know Liz. I put all my faith and trust into you." Liz sighed.

"That's what's scary. You're supposed to love Tess unconditionally." It seemed to kill her with every word she said. "And I'm trying to respect that." Liz's head fell into my chest and I enveloped my arms around her. "What am I suppose to do now?"

I couldn't stand watching her cry, knowing that I was the source of her pain. "I do love you, more than I ever could love Tess." Our lips brushed for half a second as Liz pulled away, staring at someone who was standing behind me. Tess.

* * *

-Tess-

"Liz, I need to talk to you," I sought her out the next day as the bell for lunch rang. My second week at Roswell High and everything was already so heavy.

"What about?" She turned around, her brown hair flipping in the breeze.

"I need you to stay away from Max." I ordered her.

"Oh. That." Liz looked away, remembering that I had witnessed her kiss with Max. "I'm working on that Tess, but I can't just abandon him all together. Max is my friend." Liz opened her locker and pulled out a couple of books.

"That's not good enough." I grabbed her arm. "Whatever you're doing . it's making things worse. Max is still in love with you Liz. No matter what you say, I know you love him too, but you have to fight it." I demanded her. Max and I had come so far. He was even starting to trust me now.

"I understand Tess, now let go of me." Liz snapped.

"You better watch out Liz," I brushed past her, bumping into a petite girl with dark hair.

(a/n: This story will start to make more sense a little later … like in two chapters or so. Michael and Maria may or may not make it and I have planned a sequel to it to resolve the obvious relationship issues that are going on. So, stay with me and I'm pretty sure that you'll start to love it! –NL)


	8. Inside, Everybody's Hiding Something

**Chapter Seven: Inside, Everybody's Hiding Something**

* * *

Siara

"Maybe you should be the one to watch out Tess." I whispered to Tess who moved away from me in fear. Hm. Must be the leather jacket. I shrugged. As long as me being in here wasn't in vain.

I didn't care who I had to kill to fulfill my mission. I did not fail and if Tess wanted to be an obstacle, I'd knock her down in an instant.

* * *

Isobel

'I think I know who the skins have sent … I've seen one of them here.' Tess sent the message to us, through her thoughts.

I was still trying to get over the fact that she had this great power and could read whatever I was thinking … she probably knew what I was thinking now.

'Actually, I do Isobel. We're supposed to be concentrating.'

'Fine. Who is this new _skin_,' Michael asked. Even his thoughts were dripping with sarcasm.

'The new girl. Right … there.' Tess's attention turned to a girl who was walking towards us. She stopped, stared back at her as we all pretended not to be looking.

We were too late though. She could already tell we were scoping her out.

"Anyone sitting here?" She asked with a smile. 'Her?' I asked. 'She's harmless.'

'Hardly. She knows my name.' Tess responded.

'It's a small school.' I shot back.

"Ahem. Is this seat taken?" The girl asked again as I directed my attention to Max. He had been eerily quiet all day.

"I'm sorry. It is." Tess spoke up.

"Actually, I was talking to the hottie." She directed her attention to Michael who had an amazing ability _not _to think about Maria when we were doing the mind thing. He had to be thinking about her all the time.

I was thinking about what we did, but I suppressed it whenever Max was around. Like a typical brother, he thought his job was to protect me and preserve my innocence, which, if he knew, he would think I'd given to Michael. But he wasn't the first.

"I'll take the silence as a yes." The girl sat down, crossing her legs towards Michael. "I'm Siara." She turned to him, waiting for a reply, but Max stepped in.

"I'm Max, this is Tess, Isobel, and Mr. angst over there is Michael."

"So, I'm new here. What's Roswell High like?"

"Are you sure you want the answer to that question?" I joked as Tess shot me a look. Since when was she the leader?

"Let me see your schedule." I offered, running through the entire list and telling her what she needed to know about each professor. "You're only a sophomore?"

"Yeah. Did I seem older or something?" Siara asked.

"No … I don't know. Maybe."

"As fascinating as this meet and great has been, I've got shit to do. Guys." Michael stood up irritated, not even giving Siara another thought. I watched him walk away, past Maria. They were horrible at avoiding one another.

"Not a people person?"

"He's just warming up." I admitted, sipping my soda and sending Max a secret thought. 'Do you think it's really her or Tess is just being delusional?'

* * *

Alex

"Hey Alex." Isobel sat down beside me in Advanced Chem as I moved away from her. "What's your problem? You're my lab partner, aren't you?" She wondered.

"How can you talk to be and pretend like nothing happened? And this … isn't anything new. I haven't been talking to you for two weeks and you're just now noticing?" I scowled. I was such a loser.

"Who told you?"

"Wrong question."

"Alex, you're my friend. Can't you just be a friend and forget about--"

"My feelings? I've done everything to get you to see clearly, to see me. And you go after jerk after asshole after Michael?" My voice rose.

"Alex, please. Don't say that. It was a mistake. We both just had to know and I had just broken up with Jake--"

"So that makes it better? _You _were hurting?" I shook my head in disbelief. "You're so selfish '_Izzy._' So you mean to tell me any old loser could've lucked out? If I had been there, would it have been a mistake too?"

"I'm trying to pretend like it never happened." Isobel rationalized. "Right now, we have bigger fish to fry."

"So, you come to me because you need me?" I sighed.

"I always need you. You know that Alex." Isobel reached toward me as I turned my face away. No way I could forsake her. No way I could say 'no' to her. Even though she'd hurt me so much.

The skins? I wrote on a piece of paper as Isobel nodded.

"Can you just check out a couple of people for us … students, I mean. We're a little worried they're right under our noses."

"Are you aware that Tess is on this list?" I wondered, instantly pulled back into the world of the space aliens. I was consumed by it. Desperately wanting in. Were I one of them, would she give me a chance … would I even take it knowing what she has done?

"I know. Everything's been seriously messed up since she came. Check on it, please. And be careful." Wow … she did care.

* * *

Liz

"So, you're lucky we had this kid quit right before summer ended. Haven't been able to find anyone to work here since." I admitted to the new girl. Siara. She seemed a little curious, but undeniably adorable.

"I wonder why not? It seems like a cool place to be." I watched Siara's gaze turn to Michael.

"I would advise you against that roller coaster. You see that blonde there … my best friend … yeah, she's getting over some pretty serious MGD."

"MGD?"

"Michael Guerin damage. Come on, let me show you the rest of the place." I offered. "And the job's yours … if you want it."

* * *

Tess

That Siara girl was really unsettling. I found myself careful about what I thought around her. She always seemed to be everywhere I was. Now, she worked with Maria, Liz, and Michael, meaning she had full access to the place … and what we were talking about.

That's where we found the last Skin girl and the last thing we needed was another great battle to fight with a Michael fanatic. Normal human teenage drama was enough.

* * *

Tess Flash Back

"I'll never be as beautiful as her mom."

"Of course you will. You are my legacy. The legacy of Olivian. They just do not understand you. They are afraid of your greatness and what you can do … but they will see it. I promise."

"How will I get the prince to ever feel like I do for him? I fear that I love too strongly. He loves Liorinda, not me."

"Oh, my Adonia. Don't fear what is yours take it." Olivian suggested, sending love to her daughter although she was unable to touch her the human way.

"Olivian, you have guests." January and Argandaugh walked in.

"You cannot keep thrusting her onto the prince. He has a betrothed one." January explained.

"People are beginning to question your loyalty." Argandaugh stepped in.

"Are you not connected to Khivar?"

"Hush. Do not spread lies and inconsistencies in front of the child. Adonia …."

End of Flash Back

Olivian … whoever she was kept appearing in Tess's thoughts and Khivar? What was this?

"I've been waiting for you." She stopped in her tracks, as she spotted Khivar lounging in her living room.

"If you don't leave, I will make you leave. I will get rid of you." Tess proclaimed, unsure if this was reality or one of her flashbacks. She thought they'd gotten rid of the Skins.

"You destroyed most, but not all of us … but there's more to come. And you were so easy to find." Khivar stood up, walking towards me.

"Don't come any closer, or I'll blast you."

"I'd like to see you try, but seriously Adonia … you need your strength. Save it. And take this." He threw a disc towards me, but I stopped it mid-air, thinking Khivar was trying to kill me. "I see you're still the scared little lamb."

"You're not here. You don't exist." I said to myself. Adonia? That was the name from her dream.

"Oh, but I am." Khivar used his mind to place the disc in my hands. "You'll know when to use it and what to do with it, when the time is right. And the millisecond someone else's hands or in your case …. Thoughts penetrate it, it'll self-destruct. You might want to keep it around if you want to know the truth about those _dreams_ you've been having.

(A/N: My first new chapter in over 2 years! Thanks to Sci-Fi channel. Review and I'll keep going. –NL)


	9. Take Time to Catch Your Breath

**Chapter Nine: Take Time to Catch Your Breath **

Khivar was there. He had come to her. Tess took in a deep breath. Maybe, she had hallucinated. That wouldn't be hard to believe with the string of weird dreams that were becoming more and more frequent. Tess opened the drawer of her desk.

The disc was there. It wasn't a dream. She had almost convinced herself that everything was all right, but all she had to do was look at it and she knew. Why had he come to her?

Tess could feel that today was going to be a long day. She was home, alone and without plans for the day. With so much to think about--Khivar--she would be lucky to survive the day. She had to stop history from repeating herself.

Why would he come to her and not Isabel? It didn't make ay sense.

Even if Tess did decide to tell Max, Michael and Isabel would find a way to flip it and make it sound even worse. They would say that she was in on it. Then, there was always the possibility that Khivar was telling the truth about _knowing _when and if she betrayed him.

Tess decided that the best thing to do was to just ignore it. When she thought of a way out, she'd execute it. Right now, she was stuck, but not for long. She never let anything hold her back too much. And right now, that disc was all she could think about.

She could always get someone else to do the dirty work … implants some thoughts into their mind so deep that even Khivar would have trouble finding them. By the time he did, she would be on her way back to their home planet, with Max on her arm.

Tess just had to find the right person for the job. She already had a little project for Alex coming up real soon … she was just going to have to find one of those other sci fi, anti-social computer geeks to copy the disc and figure it out for her.

That's what she would do … or, then again, she could use Alex for both purposes.

* * *

Two weeks later… 

-Isobel-

I couldn't ignore the strange feeling I was having. It was much more powerful than my temporary infatuation with Michael, which was really starting to creep me out. I shuddered, thinking about how I did _that _with _him_. Gross … well it strangely wasn't at the time, but the thought left a horrible flavor. The less I tried to think about it, the more it came up.

I had to be extra careful. If Max found out he would kill Michael. Tess was already causing more division in the group, which was feeling less and less like a quartet of alien royals picked to salvage their world.

There were so many questions left unanswered about us, and it was just so hard to swallow. I couldn't trust Tess, but I had to, right? I decided that while Alex was out investigating her, I'd do some "bonding" with her myself.

"Tess?" I found myself facing the front of the Valenti house. "Hello?" My questioning greeting was met by silence, but a half-open door, so I appealed to my curious side and walked in.

Scanning the place with my eyes, I was careful not to disrupt the silence of the room with my clanking shoes. Maybe this was why I was having this weird feeling. Something was going down and Tess was in the middle of—

"It's called breaking and entering." She muttered slyly, appearing in front of me in a skimpy overall dress. I almost corrected her, but elected not to. "Friends" didn't make each other feel stupid.

"I'm glad I found you." I lied. I really wanted to catch her in the act of betraying us. Oh well. That would happen later.

"Where else would I be … out plotting against you maybe?" Tess smiled as I realized she had been reading my thoughts.

"Do not do that. It's not cool." I tried blocking my other negative thoughts although I hadn't tapped that far into my power yet.

"Fine. I'll do it the human way, what do you want Isobel?"

"Peace … a friendship maybe." I paused as I realized she was sneering. "I'm adapting to this "Royal Four" thing as much as everyone else. The only way that we can be our enemies is if we trust each other and it's safe to say that three of us trust each other."

"Well, maybe if you hadn't left me in my pod, to fend for myself, then we'd all be buddies." Tess suggested, walking to a nearby closet, selecting a towel, and wrapping it around herself.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You wouldn't. You two were always so quick to follow Michael even if it led you straight to hell. Maybe I should get out of your way so you can get there." Tess offered as I sighed, taking a seat on the Valenti sofa. Tess followed my actions.

"I'm not too proud to walk out of that door and forget that this ever happened." I threatened, bored with her little games.

"I would say go but … unfortunately, we all need each other." Tess sighed. "What do you want from me? What do you want to know about our past, our planet?"

"Who said I wanted to—are you thought-reading again?"

"I have human instincts too _Iz _and they're telling me that there's something going on with you." Tess began.

"Yeah? So you're psychic now?" I held out my palm. "Tell me about my future. What do you see?" I challenged her.

"It's not your hands that I need to see … it's your stomach." Tess answered simply.

"My stomach. Why …" My voice trailed off.

"Now you see. See, the women of the Royal Four are the smart ones. We see what's going to happen before it happens. We understand before the men and always will. You knew about this pregnancy way before today. You just let yourself feel it today." Tess explained.

"I'm not pregnant." I denied it, rubbing my sweaty palms on my dark jeans.

"You don't sound too sure about that. Don't worry, Michael will … be Michael, but he won't leave your side. Ever." Tess added. "Now you know how the two of you ended up together. History repeats itself."

"What? You mean this has happened _before_? You know about Michael? Does Max know?" I began to panic. No way. I make my own destiny. I live my own life. No one but _me _controls me.

"I suggest that you don't say a word, yet. Explore your options. Someone better might come along."

"And the baby?" I yelled. "How am I supposed to handle that?" I asked between clinched teeth.

"I'll help you." Tess offered in true sincerity. "Think of it as that bonding experience you came over here for. We can be like sisters. I'll help you through this. Promise." Tess scooped me in for an unsuspected hug as I let her lead me into the Valenti bathtub.

I was in no mental state to go home and face Max. I stayed over at her house and told myself that she was my 'friend.' Funny, I had never had a girl as a friend before.

* * *

-Michael- 

Let it be known that school is stupid. Not just stupid, but a total waste of time and if Maxwell and Izzy weren't here, then I wouldn't be here. They were the only ones I talked to since cheating on Maria.

I didn't really need anyone extra poking around in my life, but Maria's little comments were missed. I swear up and down that Isobel and I had sex just because it was our 'destiny.'

Something new awoke in me that night, but it was more due to circumstance and curiosity than actual desire. Couple that with me wanting to be less close to Maria, and you have it.

I hated getting emotionally attached and Maria was more like permanently attached to me. She stuck with me when I strayed before with that Skin girl, and I half-expected it would be enough to split us up for a while. I never thought she would hate me to this magnitude.

Pottery was next and I was relieved. No more of Maria's evil stares or her pretending I wasn't there. I was going to an atmosphere where I could breathe. I hated that girly art shit, but it was either that or home economics. Even in ceramics, I wasn't safe, not since Satra, Sara, whatever, Liz's friend joined my class.

"What are you staring at?" I barked after I felt her watching me for at least a couple of minutes.

"You're doing that all wrong."

"It's my project. It's a damn pot. There is no 'wrong way.'" I argued back, stopping the machine, angered. I looked away for one second and my pot had a huge hole in it.

"Fine. You could at least try to be a little nicer to me." She shot back, lounging against the wall as she sat down looking bored. Her project was in front of her already done, except the firing part.

"Whatever Liz is trying to get you to do, it's not working. Stop stalking me, okay?"

"You sure are full of yourself." She sighed, carelessly placing her pot on the shelf to the put in the Kiln. The entire masterpiece crumbled. I stifled a laugh. Liz's friend just shrugged, touched around it carefully and in seconds it was back to perfection. Even better.

"Wait … did you just?" I wondered, stopping myself. This girl was not an alien. She didn't have any powers. That was called talent.

"I'll see you at work Michael." She raised her eyebrows giving me a seductive look, which placed a thought in my head. Maybe Samantha, Sicily whatever could be a lot of fun…

* * *

-Max- 

I lounged against my locker waiting for Michael, Isobel, Tess … somebody. No one showed up. I turned my head to the left to see a struggling girl trying to put up a sign about the costume dance. I knew without even looking at her face that it was Liz. I'd know her petite figure anywhere. I longed for it everyday.

"Can you help me with this? Anyone?" She asked, almost being knocked down by the force of the heavy sign.

"You rang?" I appeared by her side as Liz stopped moving for a moment, as did I. We both just looked into each other's eyes, entrapped in our forbidden love for each other.

"Always the hero." She whispered, breaking the moment as I hoisted the other side of the sign and she pinned it how she wanted it. We worked in silence, but no words were needed. We both knew how we felt about one another.

"Masquerade?" I read the publication I helped her put up.

"Yeah. Student Council's just trying to keep school spirit up and I'm chairwomen of the Spirit component. So … are you going?" Liz asked giving me a kind, gentle smile.

"You're really handling this well, aren't you? It's killing me." I admitted, resting my hand on her waist and whispering into her ear nervously. It felt 100 natural. The only old part was that I was waiting for Tess to pop up in front of us. "I haven't heard from you in two weeks, since … the kiss."

"You wanted it this way Mr. Destiny." Liz gave me a sad smile. "Tess threatened me anyway and I've been trying to back off and move on. We're still young. We can always do this whole 'Romeo and Juliet' thing later, can't we?" My face neared hers as she turned abruptly.

"I don't know how long I can keep this up. I love you so much Li--"

"Kyle's taking me to the dance. You should take Tess. Michael should go with Isobel. Alex and Maria. This is where we stand.' Liz mumbled softly as though she didn't believe it anymore than I did.

"Yeah. Save tickets for us, will you?" I requested as she nodded and I pulled her in for a quick hug, just to smell that wonderful Apple shampoo she used one more time. It drove me crazy. "And save a dance for me."

* * *

-Tess- 

"No school for two days. I'll stay and take care of you." I told Isobel happy that she would be here for a little while. I knew that Khivar wouldn't show up with any of the other three around me.

"Don't you think my parents will freak and my brother, Max? And what will I wear?"

"Pick anything you want. If there's something you want that I don't have, I'll get it for you." I clarified as Isobel nodded lethargically. "You didn't sleep."

"How could I? How are you going to explain this to Mr. Valenti?"

"We both have the fevers. Last night you slept over and this morning before work he checked on us. No change." I retorted, bringing her some hot chocolate.

"So are there any foods that I can't eat or do alien babies have no restrictions?" Isobel asked again.

"I don't know. The baby could be half and half like you and Michael, or full alien, or full human. Just do what normal pregnant women do."

"How would I know about that?" Isobel rolled her eyes, taking the warm drink from me.

"Books, books, and more books." I dumped at least ten books onto the couch.

"That will take forever Tess."

"Don't you know _anything_? We can skim read … all of us. Place your hands over the book and concentrate. You'll absorb more info than if you read it the slow way. And, if I were you … I'd spend more time strengthening my powers over these two days…" My voice trailed off as my head started hurting again. Oh no. It was happening again. A flashback.

* * *

-Siara- 

I listened to Liz go on and on about how much she wished we could change the place and spice it up. I nodded. Whatever she was saying, I was sure I agreed with. Liz had great judgment. I just had to enjoy this opportunity.

Maria wasn't working today. I didn't have to waltz around and pretend like Michael wasn't constantly on my thoughts. He was the only one I thought would believe me. Michael and Liz.

I hated making enemies, but as it was, I was taking Maria's place. I spent lots of time with her best friend and was developing a thing for her boyfriend. As Liz went down to the basement area to fill in some inventory forms, I took another look at Michael.

"What did I tell you about the staring?" He called out, a little less aggressive than earlier.

"Maybe you were the one checking me out." I called back.

"Yeah … you were right about my pot. It sucked."

"Correction, it sucked ass." I chimed in with a laugh. Good. No mention of me using my powers. Could it be that he didn't see anything? "I think it's cute that you're in such a girly class … I mean a predominately girl class."

"Cute?"

"Yeah. Everyone keeps taking about how manly you are and how cold you can be, but I just don't see it. It looks like you're just scared to me." I answered quickly, turning away afraid that I had said the wrong thing.

"Fear doesn't exist."

"Really? Is that why you and Maria avoid each other in the kitchen?" His eyebrows rose in surprise. "I may be the new girl, but I'm not blind."

"I knew they got you here to spy. What does Liz want to know?"

"Nothing." I answered smugly.

"Okay then, Maria?"

"This isn't about them. I don't care about your past Michael, but you're future. I want to be apart of it. I want to help you see things for what they could be. You're living--"

"Wait a second. Do I _know _you?" He asked as I shut up, shaking my head fearfully. "Your pot today was … brilliant. Perfect … but then you ruined it and you fixed it back so fast." He moved closer towards me. I knew this was coming. I said too much. I got too carried away.

"Whoa, back off of her Michael." Liz came to my defense as I sighed. Saved.

"It's okay." I whispered to Liz. "Michael was just asking me about stuff for class. I can just tell him after work. Everything he wants to know, I can tell him."

* * *

-Tess Flashback- 

Tess felt her mind shift and wonder back to the past. Whose past? Why did she keep living it. In an instant, Tess felt herself tied to this Adonia person. That was the name Khivar had called her.

"Adonia!" Olivian called to her.

"No! Don't take me away. Please!" Adonia begged and pleaded, but the charges had been made. No one was in the room but her and her mom. Olivian was found to be working with Vilandra and Khivar's resistance. "It's not true!"

"Of course not honey. Just remember what I told you. You go to him. You talk to him."

"No. It's his fault. How could he hurt you?" Adonia whispered referring to the young prince's sentencing that Olivian be banished.

"It doesn't hurt. Now go. Go to that ball." Olivian demanded before the power of the royals took her away at the appointed hour. Not even the strongest could resist their call, their sentencing, and their justice.

Adonia transformed herself that day. She had the appearance of a fairy, light and beautiful. She would entrance the prince. He would leave Liorinda and take her for queen.

"Prince. Prince!" Adonia threw herself at the young, powerful royal like all the other girls had done, but he paid her no heed. Instead, he turned to the crowd and announced his new bride … who held a striking resemblance to Elizabeth Parker.

Flashback End

Tess could barely breathe. No. No. Her mind was playing tricks on her now. This was crazy.

'You are not imagining anything. What you see is real.' Khivar's voice found itself in her head.

"No." I whispered, shaking these thoughts from my head. Now, the pieces were starting to come together. Max had always loved Liz … in every life. He chose her always and I was left to suffer.

"Are you okay?" Isobel wondered as I realized I probably had the look of death on my face.

"I'm fine. I'm just having really bad headaches and daydreams. It's nothing." I forced myself to lie, deciding that I couldn't wait any longer. I had to see Khivar. I had to know—

'We will meet soon.' He voice answered. 'Masquerade.' I shook my head confused. Masquerade? What was that?

* * *

-Michael- 

"Who are you?" I confronted Siara as soon as I could. "_What_ are you?"

"Your savior."

* * *

A/N: I updated. Yeah! This is my most popular Roswell story and I really want to finish all my writing this year. Stick with me, review (with specific critiques), and enjoy. –NL 


	10. Bulldoze the Life out of Me

**Chapter Ten: Bulldoze the Life out of Me**

(A/N: This chapter is pretty long. Review please.)

* * *

Michael

"My _savior?_ What the hell kind of joke is this? What are you?"

"You already know. If you would just remember…" Siara began looking at me intensely as if hoping that I would get it, but I didn't.

"What is it that you want me to remember?"

"Nothing ... but know the next few days will be crucial in the struggle. Trust in your powers and trust only the ones you _know_." She continued looking at me closely.

"Look, I-I don't know what this means ... are you ... do you work for Khivar?" I demanded, raising my arm and bracing myself for the worst. I had to get rid of this girl, I had to blast her into millions of small molecules, but I didn't want to. I couldn't. This was so unlike me. Whenever I felt this urge I normally didn't hesitate, but this time was different.

"You remember?" Siara asked again, moving closer to me, slowly and uncertainly. Her eyes seemed to light up when I dropped my arm letting out a huge sigh. "Michael, tell me. Tell me you remember." She was within inches of my face now and I had bent down enough so that we were face to face.

Siara's hands cupped my face as I felt a surge of energy go through me. At first I thought that I had been tricked, I felt paralyzed and couldn't move, but then the images began and I started to succumb to them.

I saw myself; well it sort of looked like me, but not really. I had never done the things this person was doing or dressed like they were dressing ... and I saw Max and Isobel and a woman with dark, lively hair ...

"And I thought it couldn't get any better than this." I heard Maria's sarcastic voice, but I was stilled trapped in this world. As I felt the warm sensation of Siara's hands leave my face, I was back into the world in which I knew.

"Maria." I breathed as Siara completely vanished from my thoughts. "Yo. DeLuca!" I yelled trying to regain my cool.

"What asshole?" She kept walking then stopped for a second to turn around and look at me. Then she looked at Siara. "I see it written all over _her_ face."

"I don't even know her." I explained desperately my attention now completely focused on Maria.

"Hmm." Maria cocked her head to the side as if in deep thought. "Mr. Guerin is too good to tell the truth, but not too good to beg like a little bitch? I'm feeling generous tonight so I'll hear you out. What little story do you have for me this time? Are you going to tell that she's an alien too or maybe she's just your long lost cousin?" Maria crossed her arms over her chest.

"Look, I ... love you. Doesn't that count for anything?" I confessed spewing things that I'd never thought I'd say ... at least not like this.

"You can say you love someone, piss all over their heart, and expect it to be okay. It's not."

"I made a mistake. I'm human. What more do you want Maria? I love you." I repeated, meaning it with everything that's in me, but knowing that Maria was too angry to care. I was willing to do anything, say anything to get her back.

"I will not be that girl Michael." Maria started to frown. "I won't let you walk all over me and cheat on me and hurt me, make me feel like shit in one second and then tell me I'm your universe the next." Her voice broke suddenly as Maria broke out in tears.

"I've seen it happen too many times, to my mom, to Liz, and now I'm two seconds away from falling into that hole too. I loved you Michael so much, but you went and pissed on it and showed me just how much you loved me, so what you do and what I do don't need to have anything to do with one another anymore. Tell Liz that I quit."

"Quit?"

"I quit this job. I quit you and this town. I quit!"

* * *

Tess

After seeing what I had seen, knowing what I now knew I was more determined than ever ... to get rid of Liz Parker once and for all. That didn't mean I was going to kill her, maybe I'd just get into her head and mess her up a little, make her forget all about Max.

Maybe I'd have her move clear across the country and never return. It would be easier just to x her out though. As different possibilities crossed my mind, Isobel walked into the room.

"How do I look?" She revealed half- naked legs with slits of fabric on either side.

"Wow. Who are you trying to impress?" I smiled, thinking about the inferiority of my own costume. Maybe red would have been better. Oh well. I'd just change it ...

Isobel smiled as if she had just won some huge, important award. "Can you tell?"

"Tell what?"

"That I'm carrying." She lifted her eyebrows as I shook my head confidently.

"Not even a doctor would know ... not without some extensive medical equipment. You're fine. Just don't think about it." I suggested. "Who are you going as anyway?"

"Angelina Jolie mixed in with a little Madonna."

"Will Max approve?" I asked jokingly.

"I'd be more worried about your costume. A playboy bunny?"

"Yeah, I might change it though." I ran my hands over the white satin material. "What if I went as Ashlee Simpson instead or Pink even ... someone wild. I want to impress him."

"That kind of stuff doesn't matter to my brother. He's more into that internal beauty thing ... more so than any other guy I've known."

"That's good to know." I smiled to myself. That explained the Liz Parker obsession. "So he's into the innocent, thing?" I changed my costume to an Angel one.

"Yeah."

"So what type is Michael?"

"What? What the hell kind of question is that?" Isobel asked defensively.

"You had to have thought about it at least once, what a real relationship with him would be like." I suggested. "Ignore the fact of all this history and the fact that you've known him since forever. Is he your type?"

Isobel rolled her eyes looking up. "God, I hope not." She sighed as we both started laughing.

* * *

Liz

"I bolted out of there. I had to Liz." Maria explained, going over the entire Michael ordeal word from word, again. I didn't mind hearing about it, but this was all that Maria could talk about since it happened.

"I know Maria." I sighed, just deciding to let her vent. When Max did that all 'I'm with Tess now' on me I did the exact same thing.

"And then he finally decides to say that he loves me. Perfect timing right?" Maria rolled her eyes. "I mean why do people only say they love you at the eleventh hour? Do you know how good things could have been with us? If he was just honest with me." She sighed. "I wish I could just get over this."

"You should. I have." I responded confidently. I had now begun to forget about Max, a little. I used to know his smells. He had a fresh-out-of-the-shower smell, the just finished with gym class smell, the I-just-put-on-cologne-for-you smell…

"I am sooo looking forward to this costume party." Maria stated, changing the mood of her room.

"What?"

"Just because jackass is going to be there doesn't mean I can't be there too. I won't let him win. Even if I hate it or am bored out of my mind, I'll never let him see it."

"Maria DeLuca that is the best advice ever." I smiled, perking up. "You are a genius." She nodded gratefully.

"Oh yeah, before I forget ..." Maria ran off and then returned to the room with two costumes. "I know this isn't your style, but when I saw it, I had to. It'll be fun."

"Barbie and Skipper? Maria." I complained.

"Actually it's _Teresa _and Skipper. They were all out of Barbie's. But the cool thing is that you're special.."

"Oh. Yeah. Rock Star Barbie and Bimbo Skipper?" I shrugged. "What are those?" I wondered, pointing to the other two outfits on the bed.

"That's what Alex and Kyle are wearing."

"They're Barbie's too? Ha." I laughed. This night was starting to get a little fun. "Alright, you've won me over. Can I have the outfit?"

"Sure. And Liz ... don't hate me for this one."

I gave her a confused look, but soon found out what she meant. I wasn't Bimbo Skipper after all, but a half-dressed Skipper. "Beach Skipper" to be exact.

"I cannot show up in this. It's completely against the dress code violation. I look horrible in it and what kind of representation will I be of the school?"

This was the same speech I had given Maria and the others, Kyle and Alex, since I put on the costume. Alright, so it did come with some sheer tights and a little side wrap thingy. I felt so exposed and could only think about what Max would say.

* * *

Siara

Tonight was the night. History would begin to repeat itself, but I was there in case things got too bad. My orders were to stay out of it. I was supposed to only help them indirectly and I shouldn't have been going to this dance, but I was in way over my head.

Michael and I almost had a break-through last night and he had to know the truth about everything. The way he looked at me … with a look of recognition, it was all that I could have asked for.

I had to go tonight with no strings attached to find out if I had just imagined it all or if it had really happened. Plus, with a masquerade dance anything could happen which was both exciting and scary at the same time.

"Over here. Siara!" I saw Liz waving at me excitedly. It was a little bizarre, but at the same time, I was definitely relieved. I thought that maybe Maria would have talked to her by now and turned her against me in the typical jealous girl-type way.

"How did you know it was me?" I wondered jokingly with my hands on my hips.

"Your mask … it's missing." Liz told me with a laugh, pointing towards my hand. I was holding it.

"Thanks." I smiled placing it over my face quickly in hopes that no one had seen my actual face. I was just so anxious about tonight …

"I really wish that you and Maria could get along."

"That's doubtful. She has this wrong impression about me like I'm trying to steal Michael away from her." I shrugged my shoulders, sitting across from Liz.

"Michael doesn't belong to Maria anymore so don't worry about that part. But, are you…"

"I don't know enough about him or any of you all yet. We've just talked a few times. That's it." I answered silently adding 'not yet' to my response. Michael and I had a history all right.

Liz gave me a smile in response as I started to feel a jittery sensation. It was starting? Already. I looked around, panicked. I couldn't sense him. Michael wasn't here. Where was he? Grabbing my purse, I did exactly what I wasn't supposed to do—get involved. I couldn't let history repeat itself. They had to know…

* * *

Maria

"Whatever happens tonight Lexi-boy I think the best thing for us to do will be to stick together. You'll be my Ken for tonight while Isobel and Michael will sit around like idiots wondering what's going on with us, _if _anything is going on."

"Like it'll be believable." Alex sighed.

"You're _Ken _tonight. _The _Ken Mattel doll. You can be whatever you want." I started my pep talk. "Now just act really touchy feely when you see me and save a few dances for me."

"Dance?" Alex looked like his heart just dropped. "You know I don't dance Maria. Not for anyone."

"But you would for Isobel." I protested, throwing the costume at him. Liz and Kyle had already taken off early to do some last minute setting-up for the dance.

"Look, this is a masquerade dance. It's bad enough we're in these ridiculous costumes with these sucky masks. The only thing that would make this worse would be having to actually dance."

"You're about as fun as my 80-year-old _great-_grandmother."

"Newsflash Maria. No one is going to know who you are anyway. That's the whole point of this dance." Alex rolled his eyes, continuing to type some weird symbols on his computer.

"Fine." I sighed giving into the party-pooper mentality. I really needed to get some less conservative friends.

* * *

Siara

"Michael. Michael!" I knocked on his door later that night. The scene with Maria ended badly and he still didn't get it. Time was running out.

"What do you want?" He opened the door, but quickly hopped out so I couldn't see what was going on in there. That instant was quick enough for me to get a whiff of something. Black and mild or … something.

"You're getting high?"

"Get off my property."

"Tonight is the night. The face-off. I'm not supposed to be saying this to you, any of it, but you have to come with me. Now."

"Go away." Michael demanded, eyes glazed over.

"Will you listen to me?" I restrained myself from slapping some sense into him. "Michael, you have to come with me. I'll take you there."

"Unless Maria's there, I don't want to go anywhere. Actually, I don't care either way." I tugged on Michael's arm.

"What are you doing?" Michael asked me in a panicked frenzy.

"Don't you get it? Khivar's got what he came for—Isobel, the child, the qu--"

"_What_?"

"You're a father." I began slowly exhaling. "But if we don't hurry you won't be for long."

"Huh? You sure you haven't been getting high?" Michael joked, his eyes half-open.

"Look, get your ass in this car before it's too late. Max and Isobel could _die. _If Khivar has his way, none of this will exist. There will be no _Maria_."

"I—I can't. I'm too … I can't drive." Michael struggled to say.

"I'll take you. But we have to hurry."

* * *

Max

I would know Liz anywhere no matter her disguise and even though I should have been looking for Tess, she was the only one on my mind. I scanned the crowd running through all the different costumes, trying to find something befitting of Liz.

She was sure to be dressed a princess, queen, or something royal. That's what she deserved, nothing but the top of the top, untainted perfection. When I didn't see her within my first few minutes of scanning, I started to panic.

What if Liz hadn't come or worse … what if something bad had happened to her because of _me_? This could not be … happening. My attention was instantly caught by what looked like a girl in a Malibu Barbie costume.

I chuckled to myself. Some girls would do anything to be noticed. As I looked closer, I saw her tuck her hair behind her ear and nod understandingly at someone next to her in an unmistakably Liz Parker-type way.

My first urge was to run over to her and start talking, but instead I waited until she walked near me.

"Hey, do you--"

"Before you say it, no. Chip, Dale, whoever you are I don't know you and I don't want to." Ouch.

"Liz."

"Yes?" She wondered inquisitively.

"It's me." I lifted up my mask enough for her to get a quick look at my face, sitting down.

"Max? How did you know that it was me?" Liz sat down beside me at one of the decorated tables.

"I was looking for you the entire time." I admitted as she crossed her legs away from me.

"Stop saying stuff like that." She begged even though her eyes told me that she wanted to hear more of it.

"It's the truth. Moving on has been really hard for me … and you? How _are _you?"

"Max, if I know you as well as I think you already know how I'm feeling because you feel that too. Everyday."

I looked away for a split second. This was not the Liz I was expecting. She was so brutally honest with me in a way that mirrored my repressed feelings exactly.

"I don't want to hurt Tess or screw up this entire Royal Four thing." I explained, trying to make myself understand why I felt so much unhappiness lately. "I'm the _leader. _I can't be selfish." It was for the "greater good."

"So you sacrifice me instead? Don't my feelings matter? This new girl comes into town and tells you how things _used to be_, how they're 'supposed to be' and you throw me out the window."

"Sometimes you can't always have what you want—"

"But _you _can Max. I'm here, right here right now. And for some stupid reason, I'm waiting for you. Me, I- I still for some reason believe that if you love someone enough you can make them love you back and make them want to be with you and … screw the consequences of it all."

"Liz…" My voice trailed off as she looked down at the table in front of us. What could I say? If I asked for her to be my friend, I'd be lying about how I really felt and I'd lose her as … anything in my life. It would really be over. "It's killing me too. Tess is … nice, but I don't think the three of us have ever been so unhappy. Michael and Maria … who the hell knows why they're broken up and me and you. We're all at our weakest now." I reached for her hand. "You're right about everything you said. Everything."

"So what does this mean Max?" Liz looked at me, tears in her eyes. I hated to see her hurt like this.

"Don't … cry." My hand rushed to Liz's face instinctively as I felt a shock go through my body. Then a series of images surged through my mind. "Did you…"

"See that?" She finished for me. "Max… I don't … I feel…" Her voice left her as Liz collapsed into my arms.

"Michael! Isabel!" I yelled for help. Anyone's help. I had to get Liz out of here and try to heal her … again. "Help!" I screamed, frantically, pushing my way through the thick crowd. No one was moving. I was getting nowhere. "Liz." I whispered quietly, caressing her face.

"Max." I felt Tess's words enter my mind and looked up to see a really pissed off girl in front of me. But instead of looking like someone who would possibly help me, Tess was just the opposite.

"Help me." I thought back.

"Come on. What are you waiting for? The rest of us are already outside." She informed me, actually helping to carry Liz through the crowd. I felt relieved once we reached finally had air to breathe. Now, I could see what had gone wrong. Now, I could—

"Hello Max." My defenses instantly went up once I heard that voice. Khivar, in the flesh.

* * *

(A/N: Although I'm receiving negative responses to the Isabel and Michael chapter[get over it already, I'm going to continue to write. When I write, I don't do it by couples. I write as I go so take this for what it's worth, not for what you wanted it to be and **review!!**—NL)


	11. I've Got a Bad Feeling

**Chapter Eleven**: **I've Got a Bad Feeling**

* * *

Max

I put Liz down, behind us. She was my priority, but I couldn't save her until getting past Khivar. I called Michael and Isabel to my side but no one seemed to hear my call.

"Maxwell… I guess I should bow to the king." Khivar snarled looking ridiculously harmless, still trapped in his sixteen year old body.

"I don't have time for this." I answered, Liz on my mind.

"Oh, of course … the _human_. Tell me _Max_, has the entire royal four become as susceptible to these weak emotions or is it just you?"

"This conversation is over." I put up my arm ready to blast Khivar as he mirrored my actions. The two instantaneous blasts threw the both of us off balance and onto the ground.

Right away I got up and shot at him again, missing and we both attempted to knock down one another. Everything that I was doing was blocked by him and Tess was there, but I felt like I was in this alone. Plus, I didn't know how long I could battle Khivar with only half of us.

What's worse was that I knew that Liz was laying down beside me and I had to get through this for her. The problem, I didn't know how that was going to happen or if she'd be able to hold on that long.

"Tess!" I yelled, calling for the only reinforcements near me. "Take Liz. Get her out of here." I gasped, trying not to get hit.

* * *

Isobel

I could fell my brother calling me. I knew that he was in trouble and he needed help, but I couldn't get to him.

'Max.' I tried to contact him, but something was interfering. Some part of me knew that if I couldn't get to him in time that there would be no Max left, or at least whatever happened would be irreversible.

"Isobel." Alex muttered as the two of us collided. I knew the sound of his voice so well.

"Alex you have to help me. Max is in trouble." I began hysterically. I million things were running through my mind. One was Max, the other Michael, the baby, … everything.

"Is this an alien thing Isobel?" Maria chimed in, appearing on Alex's side and clutching his arm. I watched her action carefully trying to understand it, but not being able to label is as anything more than platonic.

"Max is out there. Outside of those doors and there's something keeping me from getting out of it."

"Maybe it's all of the people?" Alex suggested, holding onto Maria's hand until he got to the gym doors. Then, he held the door open for me. "Be careful." He whispered giving me that look like he always did.

Alex still cared for me, but after everything got out, I knew that the only friends I would have would be Max and Tess. How bizarre.

"We'll talk later." I promised, noticing that the duo had resumed their hand-holding. My mind started to wander for a bit, but as soon as I walked through the door, I was focused again.

"Hello Vilandra."

* * *

Tess

When Isobel neared the gym door I knew what I had to do. I let my hand fall, leaving Max to fight alone, completely. Khivar tipped his head as I removed the disk from the small purse that I had carried with me.

This little shiny piece of metal held the answers for me and for all of us. It was what was going to keep Liz from taking my rightful spot as queen. This was _my _destiny.

"Enough!" Khivar yelled as Isobel ripped through the doors distracting Max enough, thus giving Khivar the opportunity to injure him. "The disc Tess." He called me to his side with a grin, then turned to Isobel. "Hello Vilandra.

"Max." Isobel ran to Max's side trying and failing to put up a force field to protect the helpless trio. "I can't do this alone. I need your help." She whispered as Max covered his wound with his hand.

"Do it now Tess. Start with _Maxwell_. I'll handle Vilandra. Save the queen for last." He commanded as I nodded.

"What about this?" I held the disc so that he could take it.

"No. Don't." He snarled, backing way defensively. "Once one of the royal four has touched it, I cannot otherwise it will destroy me. You'll know what to do with it." He explained. "You've done it before."

Walking towards Max was my total nightmare. I didn't want to get back at him for not loving me the way he loved Liz. I just wanted to get rid of her and make him love me instead. Then, I could use our love, our unborn _child _as a bargaining chip to get me to where I wanted. Home.

Max looked at me from afar, not with pathetic pleading eyes, but rather with a determined look that I have never seen him have before.

Ignoring Khivar's wishes, I made my way to Liz first. I knew that she was the key to breaking Max. I held the disc towards her face, but suddenly felt it slip from my hands. I scrambled for it eagerly only to find that Michael and Siara had gotten the memo.

Khivar started shooting blasts of light towards the group as I went after Siara first. With everyone focused on Khivar, it was easy to absorb her power. By the time I was finished, I knew exactly how it worked and move onto Liz next. As I almost finished, I felt the disc slid from my hands again.

Someone pinned me down as I looked up at my attacker. It was Max.

"I will kill you Max if I have to. Don't get in my way." I demanded, closing my eyes and creating a hallucination. Liz was talking to Max and everyone was still in the party. I was trying to make it seem like Khivar never happened and it was working.

I could finish what I started. I reached for where I left the disc only to find that it was gone. I felt an excruciating pain as I struggled to keep the mind game going.

"No!!" I screamed as my body started to feel drained. I let the image go as everyone realized what happened. Now, I was face to face with Siara with Khivar fleeing the scene and everyone crowding over me.

"Kill her." Michael demanded with pure hatred.

"No. Don't." Isobel begged, looking at me with compassion in her eyes.

"She tried to kill Liz." Max rationed.

"I'm not killing anyone." Siara whispered, out of breath, falling down to her side as part of me died, literally. In that moment, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

"I don't think … I can't…" Siara's voice trailed off as I blacked out into oblivion.

* * *

Liz

"Look! I think her eyelids are moving." I woke up to the sound of Isobel's voice, gasping for air.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Max kneeled at my side as I realized where I was. They brought me back to the site, where the ship had landed.

"What am I doing here? I thought I wasn't allowed…"

"That was before." Max explained.

"Before what?"

"Short version, you're one of us now Liz." Michael stepped in.

"How? _Why?_" I asked, sitting up and the instantly feeling dizzy.

"Whoa. Take it easy." Max stroked my hair carelessly. He was _touching _me now in front of everyone and the looks that he was giving me were pre-Tess looks—intense, fully-focused on me, and unashamed.

"Wh-where's Tess?"

"Over there." Isobel pointed to the corner where Tess was strapped up and unmoving.

"Is she…"

"Dead?" Isobel finished for me, her voice shaking. "God I hope not." I could see that she was really attached to her, but why?

"Can someone please tell me what happened? What happened after the costume-themed party? I remember talking to Max and then … I'm here." I stood up, ignoring the pain that was rushing to my head. "Siara? She's here too."

"Barely." Michael answered this time.

I slowly got up and touched Siara to see if she was breathing. As I did, a flash of memories went through my mind. Max was there, Michael, Isobel, and even Tess and … Siara.

"She _is _dying." I whispered, motioning for Max to come over and healed her.

"I've tried it already."

"Well … what happened? How did she …"

"The disc." Isobel brought the shiny piece of metal to me. "We were so tuned in to you that we …"

I took the contents from her hands and placed it on Siara's chest. "It's not working." I sighed. "It's too far from … give me a knife." I ordered, scared of what I was going to do but knowing exactly what to do. As the knife cut through her flesh, Isobel gasped and Michael glared at me. "I know what I'm doing. I don't know how but … she will be okay."

* * *

Maria

"Why is it that you can never find anyone when you need them?" Alex wondered, sipping punch by my side.

"I haven't seen Liz anywhere or even any of the space kids. Do you think they're plotting something without us? The nerve! How dare they exclude us, but include Liz who's off gallivanting with Sara, Syra or whatever, like it's okay to do so. Whatever happened to loyalty?"

"So they've been hanging out a little and Liz isn't at your beck and call. She's expanding her social circle." Alex countered.

"I'm tired of being ditched. Never thought I'd have that problem with Liz." I answered, rolling my eyes.

"Isobel and the others have to deal with so much stuff that we can't even begin to comprehend. They'll tell us what's happened when it's over."

"If Isobel killed your parents in front of you and you'd find a way to justify it. Don't you realize that she slept with Michael and … _enjoyed _it?" I nearly screamed in his ear. Maybe then, he'd wake up from Utopia-ville and get it.

"Talking about this over and over just makes it that more painful."

"Forgiving so easily?"

"I prefer … this is hard for me too." Alex lowered his voice. "But there's this saying that if you think about the good, you receive the good. Dwelling on the pain begets more pain."

"Whatever. I say payback is better than _focusing_." I offered, a plan brewing in my mind. "Let's take this 'relationship' to a new level." I suggested.

"You mean sex?"

"Don't be a jackass." I rolled my eyes again.

"Tell it to me straight."

"Fine. Kissing. We make a huge scene in front of everyone."

"Do you think you can do this Maria?" Alex finished off the last of his drink. "Good. Spiked punch, but good spiked punch."

"Hello. Actress. I can be anyone, anywhere, anytime."

"I can't hurt Isobel like that."

"We're returning favors." I clutched his jaw in my hand. This was the act of a desperate woman. I had been reduced to nothing more than a Michael-obsessed, ex but I wanted him to hurt and bleed so much to the point that he'd swear death was near.

If a little kiss would cause such a big response, I had no reason not to give it a try.

"Maria, what are you doing?" Alex struggled to ask, his mouth struggling against my hand that held it so tightly.

"Taking it to the next level." I pressed my lips against his trying and trying and pretending, pretending that this was a guy that I was madly in love with. It turns out that I didn't have to do as much _pretending _as I thought. The kiss with Alex turned into something interesting …

* * *

Siara

"My queen." I lowered by head, as I had been trained to do when coming face to face with her. Liz, our rightful queen Nebollah.

"Queen? I'm no queen."

"But you are and your powers are growing." I sat up ignoring the slight pain in my chest. "You've restored my powers."

"Good job Liz. You actually did something right." Michael muttered, giving me a firm stare.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Ask her … ask her." Isobel demanded, keeping her distance from me. "Who are you?"

"Can't you give her a millisecond to rest? We just cut open her chest." Michael turned to help me stand as another image entered by body. As I watched parts of my past life explode through me, I knew he was seeing some of the same things.

Khivar with me, kissing me, the baby … the useless child is what he had called it. It possessed less than half of the power of the two of us and suffered between great fits of extreme movement and no movement at all. Useless to Khivar, but a blessing to me. That child meant that there was no heir and that the line of evil would stop with him.

I tried to force my mind away from my past life, but all of the memories I had unfolded until Michael and the Royal Four and Tess looked at me with questioning eyes.

"Restrain her." Max demanded as Michael took my wrists.

"You're with … Khivar? Why help us? Why?" Michael asked, confused.

"Call the others … your human friends and anyone else you've already entrusted with this secret. There are some things you all must know."

* * *

(A/N: I know how much you all love when I mess with the traditional pairings/actions of the characters, so I had to put this in here. And before you throw a fit about Maria-Alex and curse me out in a review, read the last and final chapter of my first Roswell fic! –NL)


	12. Don’t Smash, Please preview

**Chapter Twelve: Don't Smash, Please**

(A/N: Just a preview of the chapter. I will write more when I've fully recovered! --NL)

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* * *

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**Michael**

I looked at Siara, completely confused. What the hell was she? One minute she was saving us, the next practically kissing me and then … Khivar? I shuddered. Why was it that he kept getting involved with women who I was also involved with? Who next, Maria?

"That was a long time ago." She explained as I crossed my arms over my chest to keep my hands away from her. I was so furious that I could barely control my emotions, which meant that anything and anyone could be blasted in a second.

"Don't talk to me." I kept my voice low, trying to ignore Isobel in the next room who was so hysterical and concerned about Tess that Max and Liz went to get the others without us. What a mess.

"I'll tell you the whole story."

"Wait until everyone else gets here."

"No. Just you …" Siara tried to toss her hair out of her face with just her head. I had tied her hands tightly to stop her from doing anything, but I was pretty sure that she could've escaped anytime she wanted to.

"I completely overstepped my bounds with you … and you don't remember." She shrugged.

"Just wait until they get--"

"I loved Khivar." She started immediately. "I loved him with everything that I had and so we got married. I was wrapped in my feelings that I never saw how evil he truly was. Then I got pregnant. We were so happy." She choked out, trying to remain emotionless.

"I had the baby … Khivar had these huge plans for him, but I was just so thankful to have something that represented the both of us, but this baby was essentially powerless. Khivar tried to understand it, but he couldn't.

"He did tests … he tried to _force _the power into him, but nothing worked. It was then, when I saw how he treated our child for what he was, another entity, no, _thing _that he could use for whatever nefarious plan he was coming up with."

I stopped to look at Siara to see that she was no longer robotic, but near tears. I couldn't stand to see people cry. I couldn't so I sat by her, wrapping my arm around her back to remove the rope that restrained her wrists.

She looked at me confused, but Siara didn't stop with her story. I wanted her to. I wanted to turn away, but I couldn't. The look she was giving me…

"That's why I started spending more time spying on Khivar, taking care of our child, finding excuses to avoid him. And that's when he found Vilandra … the … _pact _between us started as a way to stop Khivar from getting the power that he so desperately sought but then…

"I couldn't resist you." She spat out. "My life was in shambles, you were the 2nd most revered in our world and … some say that I seduced you." Siara gave a bitter laugh. "But I'd say otherwise. You had me from the moment you looked at me." She let a small tear escape from each side of her face.

"So, if I've overstepped my bounds in this life it's only because I've had the misfortune of remembering who we were while you had found love with someone else."

"Isobel?" I wondered, confused. How many past lovers did I have?

"No, stupid. Maria. You love her and it's so tragic. It's like the same cycle happened with you and Isobel and I was replaced." She shook her head firmly. "This is … pointless to talk about, and it's embarrassing. I'll explain the important stuff when everyone gets here. But know this, all the truth you seek lies in Tess."

* * *


	13. She Hates Me

**Chapter Twelve: She Hates Me **

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* * *

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(A/N: Full chapter. --NL)

* * *

**Michael**

I looked at Siara, completely confused. What the hell was she? One minute she was saving us, the next practically kissing me and then … Khivar? I shuddered. Why was it that he kept getting involved with women who I was also involved with? Who next, Maria?

"That was a long time ago." She explained as I crossed my arms over my chest to keep my hands away from her. I was so furious that I could barely control my emotions, which meant that anything and anyone could be blasted in a second.

"Don't talk to me." I kept my voice low, trying to ignore Isobel in the next room who was so hysterical and concerned about Tess that Max and Liz went to get the others without us. What a mess.

"I'll tell you the whole story."

"Wait until everyone else gets here."

"No. Just you …" Siara tried to toss her hair out of her face with just her head. I had tied her hands tightly to stop her from doing anything, but I was pretty sure that she could've escaped anytime she wanted to.

"I completely overstepped my bounds with you … and you don't remember." She shrugged.

"Just wait until they get--"

"I loved Khivar." She started immediately. "I loved him with everything that I had and so we got married. I was wrapped in my feelings that I never saw how evil he truly was. Then I got pregnant. We were so happy." She choked out, trying to remain emotionless.

"I had the baby … Khivar had these huge plans for him, but I was just so thankful to have something that represented the both of us, but this baby was essentially powerless. Khivar tried to understand it, but he couldn't.

"He did tests … he tried to _force _the power into him, but nothing worked. It was then, when I saw how he treated our child for what he was, another entity, no, _thing _that he could use for whatever nefarious plan he was coming up with."

I stopped to look at Siara to see that she was no longer robotic, but near tears. I couldn't stand to see people cry. I couldn't so I sat by her, wrapping my arm around her back to remove the rope that restrained her wrists.

She looked at me confused, but Siara didn't stop with her story. I wanted her to. I wanted to turn away, but I couldn't. The look she was giving me…

"That's why I started spending more time spying on Khivar, taking care of our child, finding excuses to avoid him. And that's when he found Vilandra … the … _pact _between us started as a way to stop Khivar from getting the power that he so desperately sought but then…

"I couldn't resist you." She spat out. "My life was in shambles, you were the 2nd most revered in our world and … some say that I seduced you." Siara gave a bitter laugh. "But I'd say otherwise. You had me from the moment you looked at me." She let a small tear escape from each side of her face.

"So, if I've overstepped my bounds in this life it's only because I've had the misfortune of remembering who we were while you had found love with someone else."

"Isobel?" I wondered, confused. How many past lovers did I have?

"No, stupid. Maria. You love her and it's so tragic. It's like the same cycle happened with you and Isobel and I was replaced." She shook her head firmly. "This is … pointless to talk about, and it's embarrassing. I'll explain the important stuff when everyone gets here. But know this, all the truth you seek lies in Tess."

* * *

**Maria**

I stood looking at Alex stunned. Kissing him wasn't as equivalent to rubbing my lips on sandpaper or, at the other extreme, like placing raw beef against my lips with all its blood and nastiness. His lips had just the right amount of softness, but not too soft.

The intensity of his lips touching mine wasn't forceful or too aloof, but … just right. When our lips parted, I pressed my forehead against his, looking down and trying to figure out what this all meant, trying to analyze what had just happened.

Once I looked up again, Alex was looking back at me with a doofy look and a shrug. We were both on the verge of smiling before both of our cell phones rang simultaneously. Coincidence or aliens? My vote was for the latter.

"Hey Liz." I answered, turning away from Alex for a second. "Wait, hold on … I can't hear you." I rushed out into the hallway which was totally trashed. Actually, it looked like a bus or something had rammed into a couple of lockers.

"Okay. Go ahead."

"Maria, are you at the school still?"

"Yeah. Why does it matter to you? Did Siara ditch you or something?"

"No. Don't be bitter or mad, but just listen … Max, Isobel and I are on our way to come get you and Alex."

"_Get _you? What for?" I asked, curious as to if one of them had foreseen the kiss with Alex. "Look, if you are concerned about the kiss, it was completely to get back at Michael who didn't even show up--"

"Kiss?"

"Wait. Isobel didn't see it happen?"

"Maria, what's going on here?"

"Nothing. We'll meet you at the front of the building." I slammed the phone closed, looking for Alex who was a few lockers down. "Alien call?"

"Isobel … how did you know?"

"Something's up."

* * *

**Siara**

"You still don't believe me." I observed Michael's facial expression, which seemed to be a unique blend of petulance and forlornness. He managed his emotions so well that only those who knew him would know what was really going on in his mind.

"It's not that." He grumbled, wrinkles forming on his forehead.

"Then what is it?" I stood up suddenly, wanting to go over and touch him. I was too afraid of what would happen if I did. People would get hurt. "Never mind. Don't answer that." Dauntless, I ventured closer to him.

"How could all of this happen? How could our DNA have been switched and what does that mean exactly … are we even the royal four?"

"Of course." I whispered quietly, reaching for his hand which was placed on one of the tables in the ship. When he didn't pull away I forced myself to unbury every memory of us that I had been trying to hide.

There was one where we were under water, kissing and hiding from everyone else, surrounded only by our thoughts, floating on our love. Another was where he had come to comfort me when I found out that my child had been placed in a catatonic state by Khivar.

It was payback for my treachery. Then, there was the last scene that was fiery. Overtly passionate enough to bring a slight blush over my brown cheeks. The two of us lying next to one another, completely exposed with only our bodies and a thin layer of satin covering our bodies.

I could see Michael's battle wounds and he could see mine.

I choked back more tears, more emotions. The longer I was in his presence, the more human I became. When I felt Michael detach his hand from mine, all the memories disappeared.

In that instant, I felt completely rejected, scorned, disparaged. It was then that Michael opened up his arms and forced me into them with nothing but pure genuineness. As he stroked my hair softly and carefully, he whispered, "I'm not that guy you have memories of. I don't even know who that is."

* * *

**Isobel**

Being the first to walk back into the ship, it was I who saw Michael embracing Siara. One, it made me angry and two it made me wonder what type of power she had to make someone like _Michael _submit to her.

"How's Tess doing?" I asked rhetorically, rushing to the back to see that she was still tied up and hadn't come to. "Is she dead?"

"Not yet." Siara answered as Max, Liz, Maria, and Alex all filed into the area. "She will need to be fully stripped of her powers." She directed her attention to Max. "And then someone will have to strip her memories." By then she was looking at me. "Even in human form, with the knowledge that she has, Tess would be _very _dangerous."

"Okay, how is it that she gets to know more about this alien thing than I do?" Maria chimed in, hands on her hips and practically rolling her neck at Michael. Sometimes I found her to be cool, but right now she was just annoying and intrusive.

"And how can we trust you?" I added.

"We really don't know much about you." Alex spoke up softly as Siara gave him an evil look. "Sorry."

"Anything you want to ask me, you can. But … we have to make the power stripping of Tess irreversible and then we have to make sure she remembers nothing." Siara repeated, persistently.

"None of us knows how to do what you're asking." I explained, trying to find any way possible to deter the process of betraying Tess. She was the one that knew, the _only _one who knew my secret.

"Liz, take the disk into your hands. Invert it. You will know what to do with it. Isobel, you will need to concentrate, take her memories and store them here." Siara pointed to her brain, but I was betting that she wanted me to keep the secrets safe guarded.

"I don't feel comfortable doing that. They're not my memories to keep."

"We're not agreeing to anything until you tell us who you are." Max stepped up, finally acting like a leader again. "Who are you and what is your relation to Khivar?"

"I am one of your people, your kind. I have minimal … powers. They're unstable, constantly changing. And Khivar was my husband in my past life." She sighed. "Anymore questions?"

"Why did you keep this secret from us? How can we trust you now?" Liz looked at Siara with judgmental eyes. They were turning on her, which was good because it meant that they would be more likely to believe in Tess like I did.

"Every one of you is holding in a secret. Some secrets are trivial." She stopped to look at Maria. "And others ... they could break this entire group apart. When you've revealed all of your secrets, I'll tell mine."

"I don't have any secrets." Alex scoffed.

"Then why is it that you haven't detached yourself from Maria? Does that have anything to do with a certain kiss--"

"Kiss?"

* * *

**Liz**

By the time Siara was finished exposing us, everyone was mad at everyone else. Isobel was with child by Michael. Maria and Alex had been kissing each other. Max hadn't been completely honest with me about his relationship with Tess and I … I was the lone person without any deep dark secrets.

This whole group purging had served us no good. We were all fighting, arguing … everyone but me. Isobel was upset with Siara for exposing her secret and I was doing everything I could to stop Max from killing Michael.

It was disgusting and stupid. So stupid. "Stop it. Stop it now!" I yelled, not able to stand it anymore and everyone stood frozen in place.

"Wow, Liz … what happened to your voice?" Maria wondered, looking at me terrified.

"What do you mean?" I wondered a Max wrapped his arm around my waist tenderly.

"The transformation is almost complete. Soon, you'll have absorbed the full powers of the queen." Siara explained. "But first … the disk, it will tell you everything else you need to know."

"How do we know you're not just trying to steal her powers like you did with Tess?" Isobel demanded.

"If she doesn't do it, then the powers will all retreat back into the disk and it will return to where it was created, waiting for the queen to come find it."

"Do you always talk in code? What the hell does that mean?" Maria spat out angrily.

"It means that I have to do it." I sighed. "Don't worry guys … I trust Siara." When my hands reached the disk again a huge surge went through my body and it felt like my brain was on fire. I saw so many images, memories coming at me so quickly. Faster and faster so rapid that I could not process it all.

My body started reacting as I shook uncontrollably, hyperventilating and praying that this wasn't the end of my life.

* * *

**Tess**

I watched as they all crowded around Liz. The so-called queen, but I deserved that title. Naseado and I had fought for it. I could feel more flashbacks going through my mind, but they were weakening and fading as Liz grew stronger. "Isobel … help…" I croaked as my newest friend rushed to my side.

"What is it Tess?"

"I-I can't breathe." I spat out, exaggerating the situation a little. "I have to get out of here."

"They'll know that I helped you."

"Just loosen them." I begged, trying to hold onto whatever power I had left and stop anyone from noticing that Isobel had left the group and was cavorting with me.

"I'll let you go." Isobel decided with tears in her eyes. I could tell that she wanted me around. She needed my help, my knowledge on alien-human babies. That was definitely true. I was experiencing exactly what she was … I'd impregnated myself with Max's baby. I was carrying the rightful successor to the throne… him and his sister.

"Thank you."

"I'll find you. I promise." Isobel stated.

"Use the crystal … the one that Siara has in her bag. It will make people forget things you don't want them to know. Soon, Liz's powers will grow and she'll know exactly what you're thinking and what you did … erase it from your memory." I spat out as she helped me to the exit without anyone noticing.

By the time I successfully got out of the ship, I could no longer hold up the hallucination. I struggled against my newfound humanness and tried to make it somewhere far enough from my kinsmen, but not too far from when I planned my return.

* * *

**Max**

I wanted to kill Michael. I was very sure that I was going to. What had he been thinking, sleeping with my sister like that?

"Max … talk to me." Liz begged. It had been over a week since the big face-off with Khivar and Tess's disappearance. I still couldn't look at either one of them.

"I can't Liz. I feel so betrayed. How could they be so careless? A child."

"I know." Liz sighed. "But we need to be united now. There's more at stake now than ever. I'm feeling things and seeing things in a new way that I never thought was possible. I need your help … all three of you to help me figure it out."

"What about Siara?" I inquired. "She knows more about everything than all of us combined. You can find out what you need from her."

"She told me she's leaving … she said something about wanting to start off her life as a normal human."

"So she's completely powerless?" I asked, still skeptical of someone who knew that much about us.

"Essentially. All she can do is project images to us but only … sometimes. So she's more human than not." I sighed.

"So, what do we do now?" I inquired, for the first time showing my weakness to Liz. "I mean … do we live out the prophecy."

"Are you asking if we're going to be together forever?" Liz shrugged. "I honestly do not know."

"How do you feel about me?"

"I love you. You know that, but this is all so new to me that I … I want to be able to focus and experience it. It's essential that I'm prepared if Khivar or some other alien with a vendetta shows up. I'm queen now."

"I'll be here and wait for you … as long as you need."

"I know." Liz hugged me tightly, taking a few minutes to relax in my arms before leaving me in the desert sand alone. I stood in view of the edge of the cliff just contemplating …

* * *

One month later

**Maria**

"Knock. Knock." I walked into the Evans house, for the first time not wanting to kill Isobel for what she did. She could only be held accountable for 50% of the damage done.

"Come in." Michael greeted me, doing his best to convince me that he was ready to do whatever it took to keep me … or rather to obtain me again.

"How's everything going?" I wondered as the entire crew lay surrounded around the television in the living room. Isobel was visably pregnant now. I guess that she didn't have her illusion shield up or whatever because I noticed just how _fat _she was getting.

"I'm sorry." Michael muttered, pressing his lips together.

"Yes, you are." I answered, playfully awaiting Alex who had became a crew regular. The only people missing now were Tess, Siara, and Kyle … none of whom were missed by me.

When I hugged Alex as his greeting, Michael's body stiffened. He was still trying to figure out if the nerdy best friend was any competition for my heart. I was deciding to keep my heart off the market for now until things normaled out … if that would ever happen.

"Okay, who wants to see my new trick?" Liz boasted as Alex and I rolled our eyes simultaneously.

"We really need to get some new friends."

"Don't I know it."

* * *

**Siara**

My good deed was done. The Royal Four was saved and intact, Khivar had been conquered for now and pesky little Tess was no longer a road block.

That did nothing to cue the longing in my heart. I had never known how lonely being a human could be until I fully became one. Now, the only thing that I could do was project images to whoever I wanted, but no one that I knew would care.

And the one that mattered … Michael … I guess what I was feeling now would be considered heartbreak. I'd kill to be able to block that feeling from me and to carry on.

Walking towards the back entrance of my one bedroom apartment in Santa Fe, I started to climb up the stairs. Before reaching the second floor, there was the disk … or at least I thought it was.

I could so easily touch it, reverse a few things and regain my power-borrowing abilities. I could do so much more as alien Siara than human Siara.

Reaching down to touch it, human curiosity I guess, a sharp jolt ran through my body. I thought that it might have been the disk, but it was a taizer gun. As I fell down, shaking blonde curls and an evil smile masked behind blue-gray eyes smirked at me.

"You've moved around a lot Siara … it was almost a task finding you."

"How … did … you…" I struggled to ask as she picked up the disk and showed me that it was a fake.

"Cool replica, huh … but I've got the real one right here." She pointed it towards me, removing the little power I had left and with a gunshot, leaving me inches towards death. "I guess I'll see you next lifetime." Tess grinned, rubbing her stomach which was undeniably holding life. I tried to sit up, but it was useless. Stop Tess. I had to stop Tess … if only my human body would survive this…

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(A/N: THE END! Review. Luv. --NL)


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